More than $60 million in funding has been announced to help tackle New Brunswick’s housing crisis.
The federal government is contributing $48 million across several projects, while the province has allocated $12.3 million in funding, with $10 million being towards a pilot program.
“The housing crisis isn’t just facing us in big centers like Saint John, Moncton, and Fredericton. More and more we’re seeing the challenge of trying to grip the need in rural communities becoming more significant,” Housing Minister David Hickey said.
Saint John-Rothesay MP Wayne Long explained the money will create and repair over 850 affordable homes.
“I remember the excitement, the thrill and the opportunity I had to buy my first home and that opportunity doesn’t exist like it used to and we need to change that,” Long said.
Where the money is going
The federal funding is towards the following initiatives:
- Chipman Rural Workforce Housing Pilot
- Total Investment: $24.8 million (Affordable Housing Innovation Fund)
- Construction of 60 new affordable housing units to address workforce housing needs in Chipman.
- 1461 Manawagonish Road Project
- Total Investment: $2.4 million (Affordable Housing Fund)
- Construction of 19 new affordable housing units in Saint John.
- The Abbey (181 Charlotte Street, Saint John)
- Total Investment: $1.4 million (Affordable Housing Fund)
- Repairs to 96 units, including energy-efficient upgrades like heat pumps, solar panels, and improved insulation.
- Shelter Repairs
- Total Investment: $7.6 million (Affordable Housing Fund, Redacted Location)
- Repairs to 184 shelter units to improve living conditions.
- Saint John Non-Profit Housing Inc. Repairs
- Total Investment: $4.9 million (Affordable Housing Fund)
- Repairs to 494 non-profit housing units in Saint John.
- New Shelter Construction
- Total Investment: $7 million (Federal Lands Initiative, Redacted Location)
- Construction of four new shelter units.
Provincial funding
- $10 million for the Rural Workforce Housing Pilot, targeting smaller towns and rural areas to create 100 new affordable housing units.
- Through the Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program, $1.9 million for repairs and upgrades at The Abbey in Saint John. Provincial rent supplements also support 55 of The Abbey’s 96 units.
Beyond addressing the financial strain of housing, officials underscored the broader social benefits.
They explained affordable housing helps reduce stress and anxiety, supporting mental health and overall well-being.
Hickey highlighted the need for solutions that meet not just financial needs but also improve quality of life.
The announced funding is part of the larger National Housing Strategy, a $115-billion federal plan aimed at addressing housing challenges across Canada.
Officials said this is just one step in a broader effort to ensure safe, secure housing for people in New Brunswick.
