Transitional housing project for women in Saint John gets provincial, federal support

Aboriginal Affairs Minister Arlene Dunn, left, Saint John-Rothesay MP Wayne Long, Mary Saulnier-Taylor of the Coverdale Centre for Women, Social Development Minister Dorothy Shephard, and Environment and Climate Change Minister Gary Crossman, who is also minister responsible for the Regional Development Corporation, at the transitional housing announcement. (Source: N.B. Government)

A transitional housing project in Saint John, N.B., is receiving money from the provincial and federal governments.

The 12-unit building will be a temporary place to stay for women who have experienced homelessness.

A total of $3.6 million will be spent on the project, known as Rose House. It was developed by the Coverdale Centre for Women, a local non-profit which provides services to vulnerable women and children.

“This is designed to give women a chance to re-enter the housing market by providing them with a safe, temporary place to live, complete with wrap-around services and the resources needed for each of them to succeed,” said N.B. Social Development Minister Dorothy Shephard, in a news release.

The building will also include four accessible units and a courtyard with a communal outdoor living space and gardening opportunities.

More than $1 million is coming from the federal government’s rapid housing initiative, which aims to create permanent, affordable housing for vulnerable people.

“Everyone deserves safe and affordable housing,” said federal Housing and Diversity and Inclusion Minister Ahmed Hussen.

“This is why it is important to support local partners such as Coverdale Centre for Women to develop more housing options for vulnerable members of our population, particularly women facing challenging situations.”

The Coverdale Centre for Women broke ground on the Rose House in June.