AIDS Committee of Ottawa | Le comité du sida d'Ottawa

AIDS Committee of Ottawa | Le comité du sida d'Ottawa Community-based, non-profit organization providing free, confidential services for people living with, affected by, and at risk of HIV in the Ottawa area.

Community-based, non-profit organisation providing free confidential services for people living with, affected by, and at risk of HIV in the Ottawa area.

🎄 Holiday Update from ACO 🎄Today, we proudly distributed 200 holiday hampers to individuals and families—thanks to the i...
12/19/2025

🎄 Holiday Update from ACO 🎄

Today, we proudly distributed 200 holiday hampers to individuals and families—thanks to the incredible support from Christmas Cheer Foundation. We also brought smiles to children by sharing toys, made possible by Toy Mountain.

Please note: ACO will be closed for the holidays from December 22 to January 2. We’ll be back to serve you on January 5.

Wishing you all a joyful holiday season and a happy New Year! 🥳

12/17/2025

Holiday Dinner at ACO - Slideshow

🎄 Thank You for Joining Our Holiday Dinner! 🎁On Saturday, December 13th, we gathered for a beautiful holiday dinner—and ...
12/17/2025

🎄 Thank You for Joining Our Holiday Dinner! 🎁

On Saturday, December 13th, we gathered for a beautiful holiday dinner—and what an amazing evening it was! We were thrilled to see so many of you come together, and even more delighted that many children joined us. It means so much that our space feels safe and welcoming for families.
We shared a delicious meal, laughter, and community spirit. A huge thank you to our hardworking staff and incredible volunteers who made this feast possible. Your dedication truly brought this celebration to life.
And of course, a special shout-out to our Santa, who spread joy by handing out gifts and candies, making the evening magical for everyone!
We’re sharing some photos from the event and sending you all warm wishes for a happy holiday season. Thank you for being part of our community—we couldn’t do this without you!

✨ Happy Holidays from all of us at ACO!

🎄 Thank You for Joining Our Holiday Dinner! 🎁On Saturday, December 13th, we gathered for a beautiful holiday dinner—and ...
12/17/2025

🎄 Thank You for Joining Our Holiday Dinner! 🎁
On Saturday, December 13th, we gathered for a beautiful holiday dinner—and what an amazing evening it was! We were thrilled to see so many of you come together, and even more delighted that many children joined us. It means so much that our space feels safe and welcoming for families.
We shared a delicious meal, laughter, and community spirit. A huge thank you to our hardworking staff and incredible volunteers who made this feast possible. Your dedication truly brought this celebration to life.
And of course, a special shout-out to our Santa, who spread joy by handing out gifts and candies, making the evening magical for everyone!
We’re sharing some photos from the event and sending you all warm wishes for a happy holiday season. Thank you for being part of our community—we couldn’t do this without you!
✨ Happy Holidays from all of us at ACO!

“Being informed, aware and knowledgeable of resources, options and my own strength and skills, empowers me and makes me ...
12/10/2025

“Being informed, aware and knowledgeable of resources, options and my own strength and skills, empowers me and makes me feel strong.”

Today on Human Rights Day, we stand up for women and gender-diverse people’s right of access to information, resources, and knowledge that support their agency and well-being. We encourage the sharing of information related to HIV testing, prevention, care and support that help women and gender diverse people take control of their health, especially for those experiencing gender-based violence, intimate partner violence, and other social and structural barriers that present harm.


———
« Être informée et au courant des ressources et des options, et consciente de mes forces et de mes compétences, ça me donne de l’assurance et ça me rend plus forte. »

En cette Journée des droits de la personne, nous affirmons le droit des femmes et des personnes de genres divers d’accéder à l’information, à des ressources et à des connaissances qui soutiennent leur agentivité et leur bien-être. Nous encourageons le partage d’informations sur le dépistage, la prévention, les soins et le soutien en matière de VIH, afin d’aider les femmes et les personnes de genres divers à prendre leur santé en main, en particulier celles qui vivent de la violence fondée sur le genre et de la violence entre partenaires intimes et qui rencontrent d’autres obstacles sociaux et structurels nocifs.

“I've definitely experienced Transphobia. My inability to get healthcare as a Trans woman is Transphobia. I know doctors...
12/09/2025

“I've definitely experienced Transphobia. My inability to get healthcare as a Trans woman is Transphobia. I know doctors don't want to take me because [they] don't want to deal with the 'complications' involved with me.”

Stigma, discrimination, and a lack of Trans-competent care can create significant barriers for people to access HIV testing, care, and support. It’s integral for service providers to create spaces that are free of gender identity or gender-expression based discrimination. Explore the Creating Authentic Spaces toolkit from The 519 to learn more about creating these spaces.

Creating Authentic Spaces: A Gender Identity And Gender Expression Toolkit To Support The Implementation Of Institutional And Social Change


🎄✨ Holiday Dinner Invitation! ✨🎄Join us for a warm and festive evening filled with delicious food, community spirit, and...
12/08/2025

🎄✨ Holiday Dinner Invitation! ✨🎄
Join us for a warm and festive evening filled with delicious food, community spirit, and holiday cheer!
📅 Date: Saturday, December 13th, 2025
⏰ Time: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
📍 Location: 19 Main Street, Ottawa
Let’s celebrate together and make this holiday season unforgettable! ❤️
For more info, contact: cory@aco-cso.ca

“A non-judgmental and welcoming environment has been key in both my personal and professional life in making HIV testing...
12/08/2025

“A non-judgmental and welcoming environment has been key in both my personal and professional life in making HIV testing accessible and inclusive... It is also important to have various options to access and utilize testing methods. For example, self-testing kits vs point of care testing.”

For those experiencing gender based violence, HIV testing is an important part of empowerment, safety and health autonomy.

There are 4 types of HIV testing available in Ontario. They are standard HIV testing, anonymous testing, point of care testing, and self testing. In addition, for those who are pregnant, testing should be offered as part of pre-natal care.

To learn more about HIV testing, visit our website at WHAI.ca

From 2019 – 2023, most first time HIV diagnosis in females who reported an exposure category were among those who report...
12/07/2025

From 2019 – 2023, most first time HIV diagnosis in females who reported an exposure category were among those who reported heteros*xual contact with someone with an identified risk factor. This number nearly doubled since 2021.

Intimate partner violence can negatively impact HIV prevention methods by limiting a person’s ability to negotiate safer s*x. Increasing awareness of the HIV prevention medications available, such as PrEP, PEP and PIP, can alleviate some of the risks cis and Trans women, 2-Spirit and Non-Binary people face and increase their agency over their health. Learn more about HIV prevention methods at https://whai.ca/about-hiv/hiv-prevention/

WHAI works with cis and Trans women, 2-Spirit and Non-Binary people. The use of s*x here reflects the binary way that health data is collected. It is essential for us to push for more inclusive, reflective designations in our health data.

December 6th is National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. Today, we remember and honour the 14 w...
12/06/2025

December 6th is National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. Today, we remember and honour the 14 women who were brutally murdered at Polytechnique Montréal on December 6th, 1989.

Today, we reaffirm our commitment to fighting the misogyny, hatred, and violence that is still enacted against cis and Trans women, 2-Spirit, Non-Binary and Gender Diverse people across Canada.

——-
Le 6 décembre est la Journée nationale de commémoration et d’action contre la violence faite aux femmes. Aujourd’hui, nous honorons la mémoire des 14 femmes qui ont été brutalement assassinées à l’École polytechnique de Montréal le 6 décembre 1989.

Aujourd’hui, nous réitérons notre engagement à lutter contre la misogynie, la haine et la violence qui persistent à l’égard des femmes cis et trans et des personnes bispirituelles, non binaires et de genres divers partout au Canada.

🙏🏽 Our special thanks to the Christmas Cheer Breakfast Fundraiser for hosting us this morning. We are 1 of 30 local char...
12/05/2025

🙏🏽 Our special thanks to the Christmas Cheer Breakfast Fundraiser for hosting us this morning. We are 1 of 30 local charities that benefits from this fundraiser, and it makes a big difference in addressing food insecurity in the community during the holiday season. Merci Beaucoup! 🙏🏽

12/03/2025

🌍 Thank You for Making World AIDS Day 2025 at the National Arts Centre Unforgettable! ❤️
On December 1st, we gathered at 1 Elgin Street for an afternoon filled with community, culture, and creativity. From the Indigenous Opening Ceremony and AIDS Quilt Ceremony to the Community Fair and incredible performances by local artists, it was a powerful celebration of resilience and unity.
We are deeply grateful to:
✨ Our sponsors – ViiV Healthcare, The PrEP Clinic, and Gilead Sciences
✨ Local artists – Kween Malika, Tanya King, Aishwarya, Shady Lady, Kiki Coe, Geoffrey Micheal, and the Drag Group for bringing energy and joy to the stage
✨ Students and volunteers – for welcoming guests and making the lunch possible
✨ National Arts Centre – for hosting us in such a beautiful space
✨ Community members – for showing up and standing strong together
Together, we continue to fight stigma, honor lives, and celebrate the strength of our community.
📸 Swipe to relive the magic!

Address

19 Main Street
Ottawa, ON
K1S1A9

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 4pm
Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 5pm

Telephone

+16132385014

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when AIDS Committee of Ottawa | Le comité du sida d'Ottawa posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to AIDS Committee of Ottawa | Le comité du sida d'Ottawa:

Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn
Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share via Email
Share on WhatsApp Share on Instagram Share on Telegram