Mission and Impact
Our Mission
Planned Parenthood Ottawa empowers, supports, and advocates alongside individuals seeking sexual and reproductive health care, including abortions. Through inclusive sexual health education, system navigation, and compassionate counselling, we ensure that everyone feels supported, respected, and informed as they navigate their health, relationships, sexuality, and gender identity.
Our Vision
Our vision is for a community where everyone has access to equity-driven, pro-choice, and culturally safe sexual and reproductive healthcare. In this future, bodily autonomy is universally upheld, reproductive justice is a reality, and everyone is free from stigma, shame, and barriers to care.
Our Mandate
Drawing on over 60 years of experience, we empower and advocate for individuals seeking sexual and reproductive health support by:
- Providing inclusive, comprehensive sexual health education through pro-choice, anti-oppressive, and evidence-based workshops tailored to youth, marginalized groups, and community members.
- Offering system navigation and counselling services through programs like Options and Affirm, helping individuals access abortion care, contraception, sexual health testing, gender-affirming care, and emotional support.
- Advocating for reproductive justice and bodily autonomy by working to reduce stigma, eliminate barriers to care, and promote health equity.
- Prioritizing support for marginalized communities, including 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals, Black, Indigenous, and racialized communities, newcomers, and uninsured people, ensuring they receive the care they deserve.
- Engaging with the community through outreach and resource distribution, offering free contraceptives, pregnancy tests, and gender-affirming resources, and fostering conversations around consent, healthy relationships, and gender-based violence prevention.
Our Values
Reproductive Justice
We believe in the human right to maintain personal bodily autonomy, have children, not have children, and parent the children we have in safe and sustainable communities.
Sex-Positive
We embrace and celebrate the joy of exploring our bodies, health, and sexuality, fostering an environment free from shame and stigma.
Pro-Choice
We champion the right of every individual to make their own informed choices about their bodies and health, free from coercion or judgment.
Anti-Oppressive
We are committed to providing inclusive, culturally responsive care that centers marginalized worldviews and recognizes and responds to the historical, intergenerational, and present impacts of stigmatization, discrimination, and oppression. We ensure all of our work is centered on challenging oppressive power structures and contributing to systemic and institutional change.
Communtiy-Driven
We build and nurture strong, supportive networks where individuals feel connected and empowered to thrive.
Accessible
We are committed to ensuring that our programs, resources, and services are accessible to everyone, addressing the specific needs of marginalized communities.
Evidence-Based
We provide accurate, current, and research-based information to empower individuals in making informed decisions about their health and well-being.
"I'm just thankful that if at the end of my appointment with somebody if I'm like you would really benefit from a chat, I can be like, hey, go look at Planned Parenthood Ottawa, talk to them. They provide a service that is unparalleled.”
Our impact is critical
Today, more than ever, our communities face attacks on their rights and autonomy—the bodily autonomy of women and queer and trans folks are under siege. In response, PPO offers a sanctuary of programs and services designed to meet a spectrum of needs. From comprehensive sexual health education for youth, to counseling and support for marginalized groups, our workshops and services are havens designed to make our community feel more empowered about their sexual and reproductive healthcare.
We foster a safe, inclusive environment that encourages open discussions, diminishes stigma, and champions agency, joy, and autonomy.
The outcomes of our efforts are both immediate and transformative. Individuals engaging with our services gain valuable knowledge, resources, and support, empowering them to navigate their health and relationships with newfound confidence. Parents and educators are equipped with the tools to discuss consent, gender, and bodies openly, fostering a healthier, more informed dynamic within families and communities. Through education and support, we lay the groundwork for a society that honors and respects sexual and reproductive health, consent, and bodily autonomy.
Planned Parenthood Ottawa’s (PPO) mission is deeply rooted in the principles of reproductive justice, and ensuring that everyone is heard, respected, and supported in their sexual and reproductive health journey.
The absence of such essential services leaves too many without the means to make informed decisions about their health, perpetuating cycles of misinformation, stigma and violence, and barriers to critical care. This challenge is even more pronounced for marginalized communities, like newcomers, youth, and 2SLGBTQIA+ folk, who encounter heightened obstacles to obtaining the support they need.
In a world where comprehensive, inclusive, and accessible sexual and reproductive health care and education are often elusive, Planned Parenthood Ottawa steps in as a champion.
Who does Planned Parenthood Ottawa help?
The community benefiting from PPO’s work is diverse, encompassing individuals of various ages, backgrounds, and identities in the Ottawa region and beyond. This includes:
- Youth and Students: PPO provides sexual health education in schools and community settings, offering information and resources on topics like birth control, STIs, gender and sexuality, consent, and healthy relationships.
- Marginalized Groups: Special attention is given to serving marginalized communities, including newcomers, uninsured, unhoused individuals, and members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, who may face greater obstacles in accessing health services.
- Families and Educators: By offering resources and workshops, PPO empowers parents, guardians, and educators to have open and informed conversations about sexual and reproductive health.
- Queer and Trans Individuals: With specific programs like the Affirm: Gender Affirming Care Navigation Program, PPO provides tailored support for queer and trans youth and adults, addressing their unique health needs and challenges.
Land acknowledgement
Planned Parenthood Ottawa’s office and all of our work takes place on unceded and unsurrendered Algonquin Anishinaabe land- land that was never traded, sold or treatied. Indigenous peoples have lived on and cared for this land for time immemorial. We acknowledge the Anishinaabe as the customary keepers and defenders of the Ottawa River Watershed and its tributaries, and honour and uplift their presence, stewardship, wisdom, and values. The reproductive health of Indigenous peoples in our communities is intrinsically tied to the land. Colonial policies and practices in the healthcare system continue to endanger Indigenous families and reproductive autonomy, such as the outlawing of Indigenous midwifery, child apprehension, routine evacuation for childbirth, and coercive sterilization and abortions. Planned Parenthood Ottawa acknowledges both historical and ongoing colonial violence within the healthcare and social service sectors and are committed to supporting and advocating for the diverse needs of our Indigenous service users, and ensuring all sexual and reproductive health decisions made with our team are grounded in informed consent and free from coercion.
Your Donation Builds Knowledge of Sexual Health and Reproductive Rights
In an age of fear and misinformation, knowledge is power, especially when it comes to our sexual and reproductive health. PPO’s educational initiatives and peer-support programs ensure that our community has accurate information about their health and well-being