Peter Tilley: Leading with heart

Posted on Thursday, June 5th, 2025

Ottawa Mission CEO Peter Tilley loves his career, but he’s very clear it’s a career and not a job. He’s had several jobs ranging from his first as a nighttime bus washer to working in the business industry and the recruitment industry. That former office job led to a brand-new career.

“I was making good money, I had an apartment, a mustang car, and one day I received a phone call from a former client who was the operator at the food bank, and they were looking for a driver,” said Tilley. “Four days later I became a driver for the Ottawa Food Bank and three years later I was the director of operations, then executive director and was there for 14 years before the opportunity presented itself to work with The Ottawa Mission.” He’s been there ever since.

During his tenure, Tilley has strengthened and expanded services for the most vulnerable in Ottawa. His advocacy and collaborative approach with other community service organizations has changed the fabric of Ottawa by expanding services in areas of mental health support, addiction and trauma service, hospice care and housing outreach.

He wears his emotions for Ottawa on his sleeve. “I love this city. I love this community, he said. “I’m so glad and so fortunate and blessed, I feel lucky to be doing the work I’m doing, giving back to this community by looking after vulnerable and marginalized people in this city for the last 25 years.”

Tilley is a proud alumnus of Algonquin College, graduating in 1994 from the three-year Business Administration – Human Resources diploma program. His deep connections at various institutions in Ottawa have allowed for strong bonds to form. This is particularly true between Algonquin College and The Ottawa Mission.

Tilley said the College has played a huge role in the success of The Ottawa Mission since a lot of its staff come from the Community Services, Social Service Worker and Police Foundations programs.

He shared that former Algonquin College President Robert Gillet once said to him “if you want a piece of paper, go to a university. If you a want career, go to a community college.” He said he’s always admired Algonquin College for the work it does, and the practical hands-on career choices offered to learners.

Tilley said he’s grateful to the College and the quality of students who are graduating into careers and community roles, including at The Ottawa Mission. He cites a collaboration with the Missions’ food services training program, which was patterned in partnership with the Algonquin College culinary program. Today that program graduates 70-80 students a year which is also a social enterprise.

He urges people to live a life of passion and go home at night saying “Wow, I made a difference in my community.”

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