Release
Housing New Brunswick, Department of Social Development
February 18, 2026
A 30-unit transitional housing project will soon offer people living rough in the Bathurst area a safe, secure place to live until they’re ready for more permanent housing. From left: David Hickey, the minister responsible for the New Brunswick Housing Corporation and chair of the ministerial task force on homelessness, and Jennifer Pitre, director of community development for the Chaleur Regional Service Commission.
BATHURST (GNB) – A 30-unit transitional housing project will soon offer people living rough in the Bathurst area a safe, secure place to live until they’re ready for more permanent housing.
The development is a partnership involving the Chaleur Regional Service Commission and the City of Bathurst, and will feature staff around the clock at the site, which is on land that used to house the Smurfit-Stone mill.
“This project is a huge step toward reducing the need for a shelter and ending homelessness in Bathurst,” said David Hickey, the minister responsible for the New Brunswick Housing Corporation and chair of the ministerial task force on homelessness. “Projects like this one have proven to make a positive difference in communities by getting more people of out tents and shelters and into housing solutions.”
The units are meant to serve as a bridge between homelessness and more permanent housing, once people are ready for that transition and supported housing becomes available.
“This wonderful project strikes a major blow against homelessness in our region,” said Jennifer Pitre, director of community development for the Chaleur Regional Service Commission. “By offering individuals a safe place to live, we help them focus on their individual needs.”
The government will contribute $1 million towards costs such as site preparation, connections to municipal infrastructure, contamination mitigation and construction of the housing units, common area and fencing.
The housing corporation secured $7.4 million in emergency funding from the government last fall on behalf of the ministerial task force. That money is being offered to community partners with “shovel-ready” projects that can help people transition from life on the streets to safe places to live.
"We know that supportive housing provides a pathway to stability and improved well-being for people experiencing homelessness,” said Social Development Minister Cindy Miles. “Through strong partnerships, we are helping individuals regain stability, restore dignity and build healthier, more secure futures."
Projects in other communities are being reviewed for similar funding.
“This is great news for Bathurst and for the region, as we know that some people have struggled to find a safe place to live,” said Mayor Kim Chamberlain. “This site will help people focus on reclaiming their lives and start down a path to long-term success.”
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Media Contact(s)
Adam Bowie, communications, New Brunswick Housing Corporation, [email protected].