The housing crisis in New Brunswick isn’t just a headline — it’s a reality felt across the province.
Peter Corbyn, executive director of the New Brunswick Non Profit Housing Association, wants you to be part of the solution.
On Jan. 27 from 7 to 8:30 p.m., Corbyn will take the stage at the W.C. O’Neill Arena Theatre in Saint Andrews for his interactive talk, “Let’s Solve the Housing Crisis.”
The event aims to spark meaningful dialogue, rally the community, and explore actionable solutions to one of the most urgent challenges of our time. Admission is free, and donations to local non-profit Neighbourhood Works will be accepted at the door.
Corbyn isn’t pulling punches about the scale of the problem.
“In Fredericton, Saint John, and Moncton, there are 1,500 people unhoused right now,” he said.
But the real story lies beneath the surface. For every individual visible in shelters or on the streets, countless others are on the brink—struggling to pay soaring rents, couch-surfing, or living in unsafe conditions.
“This crisis affects everyone. It’s not just the people you see,” Corbyn adds.
The roots of the problem are deep, spanning decades of neglect. Corbyn points to a drop in government funding for nonprofit housing that began in the early 1990s.
“A lot of us in the non-profit housing sector will say we were abandoned 30 years ago,” he explains.
Combine this with the trend of bigger homes for fewer people, and the result is a system out of balance — a province where housing supply simply doesn’t meet demand.
Corbyn likens the housing crisis to the climate crisis, stressing that collective action is essential.
“It’s about the small things everyone can do,” he says, comparing steps like switching to energy-efficient lightbulbs for the environment to small but significant actions that could alleviate housing shortages.
There are glimmers of hope, particularly in communities like Miramichi, where local contractors Blair Martin and Jesse Tucker are redirecting their efforts toward nonprofit housing.
Their work shows how local expertise can help meet housing needs without waiting for large developers to step in. In rural areas, Corbyn sees opportunity in leaning on tight-knit networks and tapping into provincial rent supplement programs to incentivize private developers to build affordable units.
One of the most striking success stories comes from Moncton, where Rising Tide transformed a dilapidated Victorian house into a rooming house that slashed emergency service calls by 97 per cent.
What started as skepticism from neighbours turned into a rallying cry: “Yes, in my backyard.”
The project’s success illustrates how affordable housing can uplift an entire community, shifting perspectives and improving quality of life.
Corbyn’s vision for the future is ambitious but grounded. He aims to see nonprofit housing grow from its current 3.5% of Canada’s housing stock to 20 per cent within the next 20 years.
“It’s doable,” he says, “but it’s going to take real investment, smart partnerships, and a shift in priorities at every level of government.”
His talk in St. Andrews promises to be more than a lecture—it’s a call to action for New Brunswickers to come together and tackle the crisis head-on.
“There’s a role for everyone to play,” Corbyn insists. Whether it’s volunteering time, advocating for policy change, or simply staying informed, the path to a more equitable housing future starts with collective action.
