A new affordable housing development for vulnerable seniors is expected to open in Moncton, N.B., in the coming weeks. The 30-unit complex, built in partnership with Rising Tide and the City of Moncton, has one-bedroom units. Six of the units are accessible and there’s a medical clinic on the bottom floor. The first tenants, all 65 or over, are expected to be moving in by the end of August or early September. “Our government recognizes the housing crisis is felt acutely in the Moncton area, and we are committed to tackling our housing challenges head-on,” said David Hickey, minister responsible for the New Brunswick Housing Corporation in a statement Friday. “Projects like this help to reduce the housing wait-list and create new affordable options for New Brunswickers.” The New Brunswick government has spent nearly $2.4 million on the development through its Affordable Rental Housing Program, which ensures the units will rent at or below the average market cost for comparable housing. The federal government is contributing more than $6.5 million to the project through its own Affordable Housing Fund, while the municipal government is providing $600,000. Rising Tide Community Initiatives is a not-for-profit organization that has been creating housing for Moncton’s most vulnerable population since 2020. ‘Beyond what the vision was’ The building was built in 1985 and was the former home of Wawanesa Insurance, which had been sitting vacant for years until Rising Tide purchased it in 2024. Dale Hicks, the board president for Rising Tide Community Initiatives, said when they took possession of the building in 2024, Rising Tide had a vision of what it might look like. “This is beyond what the vision was at the time,” said Hicks. “To create 30 units of housing for seniors and have another six in there that are barrier-free units and to couple that with the medical clinic on the bottom is just something at that point in time we hadn’t realized. So, we’re super happy with how it all turned out.” Hicks said the funding was announced on Friday, and the money is beginning to flow in, but Rising Tide had to start renovations before receiving government funds. “We can’t wait for the funding to start the project, we would be forever building something,” said Hicks. “We know the money is going to come in at some point.” ‘This is wonderful’ Dr. Ravneet Comstock from the Moncton West medical clinic said she believes the health clinic on the bottom floor, which opened about six weeks ago, is the largest in the province, with 10 doctors and four more to come. “We know that a safe, stable place to call home creates a foundation for better physical health, for better mental health and for overall quality of life,” said Comstock. Comstock said many of the future residents of the building have been without primary care for a long time. “I’m pleased to announce that our team will be on-boarding every resident without a primary care provider into our patient [care] as soon as they move in,” said Comstock. Seniors’ advocate and Riverview Town Councillor Cecile Cassista said seniors need models like this one throughout the province. “This is wonderful. This is what we need for our aging population,” said Cassista. Cassista took a tour of the building after the announcement. “I was impressed. I was impressed basically with how the layout is, how it is affordable,” said Cassista. “I think this is something we need to be doing moving forward.” ‘He can build things quickly’ During the announcement, Hickey said Moncton is facing the housing crisis more than anywhere else in the province. “There are now over 4,000 people on the wait list in this community alone for affordable housing. We have well over 500 chronically homeless people living in Moncton and our government is committed to doing something about it,” he said. Hickey praised Hicks’ vision of what affordable housing should look like in the community. “What Dale [Hicks] has showed is that he can build things quickly. I’m a fan of building things quickly so we’re going to continue to support that vision,” said Hickey. Hicks said this project is the biggest undertaking in Rising Tide’s history. For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
