The Society is managed by its members through a volunteer Board of Directors elected each year at the Annual General meeting.

Directors

Emma Kent, President
Erik Foisy, Treasurer
Dave Kent, Secretary

Richard Collins
Scheherazade Khan
David Martin
Sonja McKay
Amin Zahrai

Committees and Working Groups

Awards Committee (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

Recognizes the work of local historians on Ottawa and its regions.

• Karen Lynn Ouellette (Chair)

 Communications Committee (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

• James Powell (Comms Officer)

Executive Committee (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

Responsible for conducting the affairs of the Society in accordance with the purposes and objectives of the Society and the decisions of its Board.

• Emma Kent (President)

French Program | Programmation en français (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

Faire rayonner en français l’histoire d’Ottawa et de la région.

• Christine Matamoros (Speaker’s Series)

Financial Committee (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

Review present finances and propose plans to align with our typical annual income.

• Erik J. Foisy (Chair)

Seal & Symbol Sub-Committee (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

Review of the Historical Society of Ottawa symbol and seal along with the introduction of an alternative logo.

• Emma Kent (Chair)

Indigenous Consultation Committee 

Working to support HSO in including Indigenous history and perspectives in programming.

• Vacant (Chair)

Membership Committee (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

Responsible for all aspects of the HSO membership.

• Sonja McKay (Chair)

Nominating Committee (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

Responsible for the nominations for directorship at the Annual General Meeting.

• Erik J. Foisy (Chair)

Outreach Committee (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

Responsible for recruitment of volunteers and ensuring that our presentations, publications, and activities consider diverse cultural perspectives and address past and present injustices.

• Irene Perry (Chair)

Publication Committee (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

Responsible for all HSO publications, in all mediums, whether virtual or physical.

• Richard Collins (Chair)

Editorial Review Sub-Committee (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

Reviewers for any publication, focusing primarily on the pamphlet series.

• Richard Collins (Chair)

Regular Events Committee (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

• Scheherazade Khan (Speaker Series Chair)

Museum Club (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

Coordinates group visits to local museums and historic sites.

• David Kent (Museum Club Chair)

Working Groups

Auction Committee (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

• Erik J. Foisy (Chair)

City of Ottawa Archives Review Committee

• Kyle Trudel (Chair)

Contact Info

• To reach the Historical Society of Ottawa President: email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• To reach the Vice President: email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• To reach the Treasurer: email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• For inquiries about publications: email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• For inquiries about membership: email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• For inquiries about community outreach: email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• For inquiries about events: email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• For inquiries about the blog: email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

• For general inquiries or to contact any of the directors: email The Historical Society of Ottawa at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Historical Society of Ottawa (HSO) is Ottawa’s oldest historical organization. It was founded in 1898 by a group of prominent Ottawa women interested in the preservation of Canada’s rich historical heritage at a time when there were few Canadian museums and little government funding for such activities. Initially known as the Women’s Canadian Historical Society of Ottawa, the Society changed its name in 1955 when men were allowed to participate as full members.

The Society’s objective is to preserve and increase public knowledge of the history of Ottawa, including its people and places, through publications, meetings, tours, awards, sponsored research, participation in local heritage events; and to support and encourage heritage conservation.

At monthly meetings, held from September to June, guest speakers inform and engage members in a wide range of topics related to the history of Ottawa and the Ottawa Valley. The monthly meetings are open to the general public as well as to members at no cost. Society members also receive a quarterly newsletter, and copies of HSO’s “Pamphlet Series” that examine local historical issues. The Society also organizes one-day bus tours for its members and guests to historic sites in Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec.

The Society is the official patron of the Ottawa Regional Heritage Fair for area youth (Grades 5-9) which is held annually. At the Fair, the Society presents awards in recognition of research excellence in subjects relevant to Ottawa’s history. 

The Society welcomes everybody with a love of history and an interest in Ottawa’s heritage, irrespective of race, religion, sex, age, country of origin, or any other attribute. 

The Historical Society of Ottawa is a non-profit organization and a registered charity - Registration no.: BN 10748 4081 RR 0001. To make a donation, see our online donation form. Many thanks! A charitable receipt for income tax purposes will be issued for donations. Please note that a receipt for tax purposes cannot be issued for membership fees.

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