We are a volunteer-led community in Ottawa exploring how open-source technology can strengthen local communities and enrich the digital commons. Our mission is to research, assemble, and promote community-owned digital infrastructure that empowers people to organize, collaborate, and solve local challenges without relying on extractive, profit-driven platforms.

Many of today’s digital platforms are designed to maximize engagement and revenue rather than foster meaningful community connections. We believe communities deserve technology that is transparent, privacy-respecting, resilient, and built to serve the people who use it. By encouraging digital and civic literacy alongside open-source collaboration, we hope to create a stronger foundation for neighbourhood self-organization and collective action.

Rather than building every tool from scratch, we focus on assembling existing open-source software, protocols, and decentralized technologies into an accessible toolbox that community groups can easily adopt. We believe this approach allows communities to benefit from proven technologies while avoiding unnecessary duplication of effort.

Our research also explores decentralized systems that reduce dependence on centralized providers, giving communities greater ownership over their data, infrastructure, and governance. We are interested in technologies that are interoperable, sustainable, and capable of growing alongside the communities they support.

This initiative is rooted in the belief that digital infrastructure should be treated as a public good—something communities can collectively shape, improve, and steward. Through research, collaboration, and open-source innovation, we hope to contribute to a more connected, resilient, and community-driven digital future for Ottawa and beyond.

Commons Fabric

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Commons Fabric

Org chart

Teams

Offices

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