District-level meetings attended by General Services Representatives (GSR) for local Ottawa area groups are held as follows:
District 54 (Ottawa Rideau) East – First Thursday of each month at 6:30 PM
(ZOOM Meeting ID 834 9953 9650 Passcode 141892)
District 62 (Ottawa West) – Second Monday of each month at 7:30 PM
(ZOOM Meeting ID 638 562 068 Passcode 016224)
The two Ottawa Area Districts support local committees that fulfill key roles and outreach operations in support of our primary purpose. They are: Public Information (PI) and Cooperation with the Professional Community, Correctional Facilities and Treatment (CFT) and Ottawa Archives. Each committee role is explained in the other sections on this page.
PI/CPC
(PI) Public Information
(CPC) Cooperation with the Professional Community
This dual function committee conveys A.A. information to the general public, including the media.
Public Information
Following are examples of the committee’s work:
Health Fairs – PIC participates by handing out Literature, meeting lists, and answering questions at local Health Fair as required.
Secondary Schools – PIC provides AA publications including Big Books, Living Sober, The Twelve and Twelve, and “In our Own Words” to school libraries and student service departments.
Cooperation with Professionals
Professionals who work with alcoholics share a common purpose with Alcoholics Anonymous: to help the alcoholic stop drinking and lead a healthy, productive life.
Alcoholics Anonymous is a nonprofit, self-supporting, entirely independent fellowship— “not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution.” Yet A.A. is in a position to serve as a resource to you through its policy of “cooperation but not affiliation” with the professional community.
The committee welcomes requests from professionals. Here are some ways they help:
Provide speakers for information sessions on A.A.
Meet informally with groups of professionals
Provide literature and audio/visual materials to professional staff
Provide literature and audio/visual materials for patients/clients
Provide a link to A.A. groups in the community for patients/clients
Attend open AA meetings or local events with professionals.
More Resources for Professionals:
If You are a Professional…
How A.A. Members Cooperate with Professionals
This is A.A.: An Introduction to the A.A. Recovery Program
We are Currently Meeting on the 4th Thursday of every month via Zoom at 7 pm. Meeting is online on Zoom ID 815 4385 6025, password PICPC
AA visitors are welcome.
The committee can be contacted at pi@ottawaaa.org
Correctional Facilities and Treatment (CFT)
The primary purpose of this committee is to carry the A.A. message to alcoholics both behind the walls of Correctional Facilities and in Treatment Centre’s. The CFT Committee also supports the ‘Bridging the Gap’ program which links A.A. members to A.A. meetings after their release.
Ottawa Withdrawal Management Center (DETOX) has invited A.A. to hold introductory meetings three times a week
Groups and members interested in this valuable form of service are asked to email owmc@ottawaaa.org to be added to the schedule.
Homegroups are permitted to host A.A. meetings on the condition that they share each member’s individual name with the OWMC Coordinator’s calendar.
How to Get Involved
Volunteers are needed Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7:00 pm & Saturdays at 10:30 am Contact owmc@ottawaaa.org. or call The Intergroup Office 613-237-6000 and leave your contact information.
A.A. members must have a minimum of 2 years of sobriety to host and 1 year of sobriety to co-host a meeting.
Les Maison’s
Corrections Facilities and Treatment (CFT} is looking for Alcoholics Anonymous volunteers at Maison Gilles Chagnon for women & Maison Billy Buffett for men to be a part of our A.A. team to deliver A.A. information sessions.
About Maison Gilles Chagnon:
The Women’s Residential Stabilization Program aims to support and stabilize the clients before they transition to a residential addiction treatment program.
About Maison Billy Buffett:
Maison Billy Buffett is a safe, fully renovated home dedicated to men in need of help with their substance abuse problems, named after the generous Monsieur Billy Buffett.
We need passionate individuals like you to make a difference in their lives.
Contact lesmaisons@ottawaaa.org for more information.
Ottawa Carleton Detention Centre – (OCDC aka Jail) contact the committee for dates, times and access requirements. cft@ottawaaa.org
The Committee meets fourth Tuesday of the month online. Zoom ID 815 5183 4935, passcode 521429.
A.A. visitors are welcome.
Please contact the CFT Committee at cft@ottawaaa.org for more information.
The A.A. Bridging the Gap/Temporary Contact Program connects clients leaving a treatment facility with Alcoholics Anonymous in their community. This leaflet explains the procedures for those about to be discharged.
The A.A. Bridging the Gap/Temporary Contact Program connects clients leaving a treatment facility with Alcoholics Anonymous in their community. This leaflet explains the process and offers suggestions to the latter group.
For more information please contact Bridging the Gap Coordinator
This is our town in the 1940s. The second building on the right was the location of the first document AA meeting in Ottawa. The building is still there. Do you recognize it?
The mission of the Ottawa AA Archives is to document permanently the work of Alcoholics Anonymous in the Ottawa area; to make its history accessible to AA members and other researchers; and to provide a context for understanding AA’s progression, principles and traditions in the Ottawa area.
The Archives Committee meeting is resuming in-person meetings and they will take place on the 3rd Wednesday of the month from 6:30-7:30pm, at the Intergroup Office, Bronson Centre, 211 Bronson Ave, #108
Please contact the Archives Committee at archives@ottawaaa.org for more information.