Ali Sadaka never imagined that the affordable housing building where his family found refuge in 2008 would become his workplace, and eventually, his career. But after 17 years with Onward, formerly Horizon and Forward Housing, Ali has evolved from resident to one of the organization's most dedicated leaders, overseeing building operations across Calgary.
When war broke out in Lebanon in 2006, the Canadian embassy evacuated its citizens. At that time, Ali and his wife, a Canadian citizen, had lived together in Lebanon for six years and welcomed two children into their family. Ali’s wife and kids relocated to Calgary; however, Ali remained behind for two more years to complete 18 years of service with the Lebanese army. During that time, his wife applied for him to immigrate to Canada.
On August 6, 2008, Ali finally arrived, stepping directly into a new life at Onward’s Horizon West building, where his wife had already secured a home for their family.
Starting over came with challenges. “I only spoke Arabic. I studied English at Bow Valley College for 18 months and completed CLB (Canadian Language Benchmark) level 5. I also started working at Wendy’s,” Ali recalls.
His determination to build a stable future for his family paid off. In 2012, Onward offered him a position as a resident building manager. “I had to move my family to Heritage Gardens because it was policy for managers to live on site. I worked there for 10 years,” he says.
Ali’s family continued to grow in Canada. “My daughter Ayah is now a dental assistant, and my daughter Zeina graduated in sociology from Mount Royal University. My son Assad is in Grade 5,” he says. Ali and his wife, Lamis, also experienced the profound loss of two young children who were born in Canada.
During these years, the Onward evolved as well. “When Horizon and Forward merged to form Onward in 2022, it brought two strong teams together, providing great service and quality of life for residents,” Ali says.
After the merger, his role shifted. “When the resident building manager positions ended, I became a maintenance technician, and after seven months, was promoted to Team Lead of Building Services,” he explains. “Today, I’m responsible for 11 buildings and four houses, with five maintenance techs and four custodians. We ensure buildings are safe, clean, and comfortable for residents.”
He has witnessed many changes over the years. “Forward was mostly seniors. Horizon worked with residents from different backgrounds, with different programs and challenges. When we merged, I thought it would be hard, but we changed many systems and hired custodians and more staff. That made it much better,” he says.
After 17 years with Onward, Ali’s dedication remains unwavering. “I’ve enjoyed my time at work. It’s an opportunity to make a real difference and ensure all the buildings are safe and clean. As long as I have the energy to work, I will.”
