It takes a lot to make the mayor late for a ribbon cutting — like a phone call from Dalton McGuinty.

Earlier this year, Mayor Mark Sutcliffe was on his way to an event marking the expansion of Costco Canada’s Ottawa office when McGuinty called to share his idea for helping Ottawa youth build new skills, gain valuable work experience and make a difference in their community. Sutcliffe remained in the parking lot, listening and asking questions, while McGuinty laid it all out.

Fifteen minutes later, Sutcliffe finally headed inside, only then realizing there were hundreds of Costco employees gathered and ready to go. “They were all waiting for me, and I was holding the whole thing up because [Dalton] and I were talking about this great idea,” he said with a slightly sheepish laugh.

On Monday, both men helped launch Ottawa Youth Service Year (OYSY), a first-of-its-kind pilot project run by Volunteer Ottawa. It gives recent high school graduates eight months of minimum-wage work in the nonprofit sector, along with the chance to build skills and learn more about their community and themselves.

The program is funded by the Rideau Hall Foundation, a national, non-partisan charity established in 2012 by former governor general David Johnston.

“I’ll tell you, had this been around when I was 17 or 18 finishing high school, I would have jumped all over this,” Sutcliffe said at the event, held in the Councillors’ Lounge inside Ottawa City Hall.

Former Ontario premier Dalton McGuinty, left, is greeted by Mayor Mark Sutcliffe at the launch of the Ottawa Youth Service Year, run by Volunteer Ottawa, funded by the Rideau Hall Foundation and founded by McGuinty. Photo by Caroline Phillips

From left, Ottawa city councillors Tim Tierney and Rawlson King, Rideau Hall Foundation president and CEO Teresa Marques, Volunteer Ottawa executive director Jessie-Lee Wallace, city councillor Marty Carr, Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, former Ontario premier Dalton McGuinty and city councillor Riley Brockington at the launch of the Ottawa Youth Service Year pilot project. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Young participants of the new Ottawa Youth Service Year pilot project mingled with one another at the official launch held in the Councillors’ Lounge inside Ottawa City Hall on Monday, August 24, 2026. Photo by Caroline Phillips

After nearly 70 years of connecting people with ways to give back, Volunteer Ottawa is entering what executive director Jessie-Lee Wallace called “a brand new chapter.” She described the project as “beyond exciting.”

The inaugural group of 26 youth, selected from about 100 applicants representing all four Ottawa school boards, will begin in the coming weeks. Participants, ages 17 to 19, will do hands-on work with local community organizations, including Habitat for Humanity and Big Brothers Big Sisters.

The young people will be given real responsibilities, along with mentoring, training and the chance to develop practical workplace skills. Those who successfully complete the program will have one year of post-secondary tuition covered.

“Together we are saying three things to our youth: we see you, we need you and we’ve got a wonderful opportunity for you,” McGuinty told those gathered for the launch.

McGuinty, who served as Ontario premier for 10 years and recently finished serving as board chair of the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, made it clear the project is very much a local effort. “I want to say at the outset how proud I am of our community, my hometown Ottawa, and everyone’s response to the Ottawa Youth Service Year,” he said, pointing to support from universities, colleges, school boards and such local businesses and organizations as McIntyre & Associates, Caza Saikaley LLP, Crestview Strategy and ATU Local 279.

Former Ottawa mayor and Ontario cabinet minister Jim Watson has also joined the project’s advisory committee, he noted.

From left, Rideau Hall Foundation senior manager Tanjima Ali, Volunteer Ottawa executive director Jessie-Lee Wallace, Rideau Hall Foundation president and CEO Teresa Marques, Algonquin College vice president (student services) Krista Pearson and Erin O’Connor, senior director of housing development at Habitat for Humanity Greater Ottawa. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Volunteer Ottawa’s board chair, Maryam Haghighi, director of intelligent systems and innovation at the Bank of Canada, was another early convert. She first heard about McGuinty’s idea under circumstances nearly as inconvenient as the mayor’s.

She was sitting on an airplane preparing for takeoff when Wallace called to tell her about McGuinty’s idea and seek her approval. Her answer before ending the call was yes, with one small matter still to sort out: the money.

Fortunately, Teresa Marques was an easy sell. After talking it through with McGuinty, the president and CEO of the Rideau Hall Foundation said the idea was “too exciting to say no to, too exciting to step away from.”

In her remarks, she pointed to Canada’s strong tradition of volunteering and community service, but cautioned against assuming it will automatically carry forward to the next generation.

Charities and nonprofits across the country are struggling to maintain both donations and volunteer support, she said, creating a need to find new ways of introducing younger Canadians to community service. “We know we have to work in really creative ways together to create new opportunities for the next generation to experience what it means to contribute,” said Marques.

From left, Volunteer Ottawa’s board chair Maryam Haghighi, director of intelligent systems and innovation at the Bank of Canada, and Rideau Hall Foundation president and CEO Teresa Marques at the launch of the Ottawa Youth Service Year pilot project, run by Volunteer Ottawa and funded by the Rideau Hall Foundation. Photo by Caroline Phillips

And for the 26 young people chosen as OYSY’s first cohort, Marques had some advice: “Make the most of this year. Ask questions. Take on challenges. Learn from the incredible people around you. Bring your own ideas to the table and know that your perspective and your ideas belong.

“Your communities need you now. Your ideas matter now, and you can make a difference now.”

McGuinty saved room for both a laugh and a more serious message. “I won’t keep you much longer,” he said, joking that Jennifer Lopez might have said the same to each of her several husbands.

“Those of us behind OYSY believe that when young people are given the opportunity to serve, they grow not only as individuals but as citizens.

“Our goal is simple: strong citizens helping to build a strong community.”

Dalton McGuinty delivered remarks at a launch event held at the Councillors’ Lounge inside Ottawa City Hall to celebrate the new pilot project, Ottawa Youth Service Year, founded by McGuinty, run by Volunteer Ottawa and funded by the Rideau Hall Foundation. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Terri McGuinty, left, listened from the audience as her husband, former Ontario premier Dalton McGuinty, founder of Ottawa Youth Service Year, spoke at the launch of the Volunteer Ottawa pilot project, funded by the Rideau Hall Foundation. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Mayor Mark Sutcliffe delivered opening remarks at the launch of Ottawa Youth Service Year, a new pilot project that gives young people an opportunity to build experience, confidence and direction before starting post-secondary education or entering the workforce. Photo by Caroline Phillips

From left, Ottawa Youth Service Year participant Janoah Pae, 18, and Hope Wood, director of social enterprise at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ottawa, at the launch of the new pilot project founded by former Ontario premier Dalton McGuinty, run by Volunteer Ottawa and funded by the Rideau Hall Foundation. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Ottawa Youth Service Year founder and former Ontario premier Dalton McGuinty, Volunteer Ottawa board chair Maryam Haghighi and Teresa Marques, president and CEO of the Rideau Hall Foundation, shared a laugh during Mayor Mark Sutcliffe’s remarks. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Teresa Marques is the president and CEO of the Rideau Hall Foundation, which is funding the new pilot project, Ottawa Youth Service Year, that will give young people in Ottawa the opportunity to build valuable skills, gain work experience and make a difference in their community. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Noah Vineberg, president and business agent of ATU Local 279, was out to support the launch of Ottawa Youth Service Year, a paid service year for Ottawa youth. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Volunteer Ottawa board chair Maryam Haghighi at the launch of Ottawa Youth Service Year, a new pilot project run by Volunteer Ottawa and funded by the Rideau Hall Foundation. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Ottawa Youth Service Year participant Ryan Christian Nshimiyimana and Larry Hasson, director at McIntyre & Associates, at the launch of the new pilot program, founded by former Ontario premier Dalton McGuinty, run by Volunteer Ottawa and funded by the Rideau Hall Foundation. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Young participants of the new Ottawa Youth Service Year pilot project mingled with one another at the official launch held in the Councillors’ Lounge of Ottawa City Hall on Monday, August 24, 2026. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Volunteer Ottawa board chair Maryam Haghighi in conversation with Ottawa Youth Service Year founder and former Ontario premier Dalton McGuinty at the launch of the new pilot project aimed at giving young people the opportunity to build skills, gain work experience and make a difference in their community. Photo by Caroline Phillips

Participants in Ottawa Youth Service Year pose with supporters of the new pilot project, founded by former Ontario premier Dalton McGuinty, run by Volunteer Ottawa and funded by the Rideau Hall Foundation. Photo by Caroline Phillips

This article is made possible through sponsorship from Star Motors, WEALTH (WCPD), Syntax Strategic, RBC, Marilyn Wilson Dream Properties, ExecHealth, Altis Recruitment, Bell Canada, First Avenue Investment Counsel, Welch LLP, Brazeau Seller Law and Prime Benefits Group.

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