Ottawa and Gatineau ACORN

Sara Laviolette

Chair, Ottawa-Vanier Chapter

Sara Laviolette is the Chair of Ottawa-Vanier ACORN, a single parent and longtime community advocate. She joined ACORN while facing a renoviction and quickly became a leader, fighting for tenant rights and stronger housing protections. With 20 years of experience in education and leadership, she believes in the power of collective action to create change. As Chair, she’s committed to building tenant power and ensuring affordable housing for all.

Bader Abu Zahra

Co-Chair, Ottawa-Vanier Chapter

Bader is a retired engineer. He immigrated to Canada in the early 70s and since then has been involved in community struggles for social justice. After being encouraged by his daughter to join ACORN, Bader has become a committed member on several campaigns. These include affordable and livable housing, fair banking and he was an essential part of the push for a mobile COVID19 testing site in the east end of Ottawa.

Cassie Lepage

Co-Chair, South-Ottawa Chapter

Cassie is an outspoken mother of a seven-year-old living on Ontario Works. Cassie grew up in Ottawa Community Housing and joined ACORN in early 2025 because she was fed up with the system working in favour of landlords and politicians. Cassie is passionate about holding landlords accountable for repairs and increasing social assistance rates. Cassie is committed to fight back and get what we all deserve.

Matthew Milne

Co-Chair, South-Ottawa Chapter

Originally from Belleville Ontario, Matt became an ACORN member in early 2024 after experiencing the apathy of corporate landlords firsthand as a renter in Ottawa and became a very active member in the South-Ottawa Chapter. In 2025 he was elected Co-Chair for the South Ottawa chapter with the goal of supporting the organization the way it has supported him.

Edward Roue

Chair, Central-Ottawa Chapter

Eddy was born and raised in Ottawa and has been fighting for social justice since he was 18 years old. He joined ACORN in the late 2010s after seeing the power of grassroots organizing at first hand. He is passionate about climate justice because by building more sustainable communities, we can help not just our neighbours but tenants and workers around the world

Alex McDonald

Co-Chair, Central-Ottawa Chapter

Alex fought the Mike Harris cuts, supported Cuba through Ottawa Cuba Connections, fought for a nuclear free world as a member of the Ottawa Peace Council, and represented Pembroke adult high school teachers. After returning to Ottawa he fought attacks on our public health care system through the Ottawa Health Coalition before joining ACORN in September 2020 to fight for low and moderate income communities.

David Longchamps

Chair, Ottawa-West Chapter

David has always been a proponent of strong, and happy communities. Starting off volunteering at food banks and tutoring, David saw the real impact made simply by giving his time and attention. Prior to ACORN, David had merely his toes in the waters of advocacy. David was renovicted along with all of his neighbours, however, with ACORN's help many of the tenants stayed and kept their homes. After joining ACORN David dove head first in to championing the needs and priorities of his community and the people that live there. David has a proclivity to advocate for seniors and people with disabilities.

Beverley Puddicombe

Co-Chair, Ottawa-West Chapter

Beverley was born in St. John's, Newfoundland then moved to Nova Scotia with her daughter in 1985 for 2 years before coming to Ottawa in 1987. Beverley joined ACORN in September of 2015 because she believed in equality and justice for all individuals, no matter what race, gender, or financial standing in this world. Beverley believes that nobody should NOT be treated like insects, something to be trampled on because we don't have the ability to stand up for their rights alone. Beverley believes there is power in numbers and