New Brunswick opens first youth supportive housing in the region

A new supportive housing project in Saint John, New Brunswick, is being called the first of its kind in the province, offering nine units designed to break the cycle of homelessness for vulnerable youth.

Mitchener Village received $400,000 in federal funding and $645,000 from the province. The project will serve at-risk youth aged 19 to 25, with tenants paying 30 percent of their income toward rent and no requirements for sobriety or education.

Karen Cummings, executive director of Centre for Youth Care, which is operating the project, said the housing addresses a critical gap. "You cannot think about your future if you're just spending every day trying to survive," she said. "In 2025, in Saint John alone, over 100 youth between the ages of 16 to 25 experienced homelessness at least once."

All nine units are expected to be occupied by July 1. The project includes on-site mental health support, with the goal of helping tenants transition to independence, employment, education, and relationship-building. Support continues even after residents move out.

Health Minister John Dornan emphasized the broader impact. "As people become secure, have opportunities to be housed elsewhere, they will graduate," he said. "And if we can help people early on, that's so valuable."

Saint John MP Wayne Long called the initiative a starting point, with expectations for more units to follow. The announcement also highlighted the city's progress under Ottawa's Housing Accelerator Fund, which recently awarded nearly $2.6 million after the city exceeded housing targets through zoning reforms.

While the project is in New Brunswick, it reflects a model that housing advocates across Canada, including in Toronto, have been pushing for—dedicated supportive housing that bridges the gap between shelter systems and independent living.