The Reality In The Maritimes
Housing stability is an important component of the social determinants of health. A lack of stable housing contributes to other complex issues such as mental health and substance use, food insecurity, poor health outcomes and challenges with maintaining meaningful employment or education.
New Brunswick
40%
Homelessness Increase
28%
Renters Spending >30%
9.2%
Core Housing Need
6.4%
Rent increases
58%
of Residents Live in Poverty
Nova Scotia
182%
Homelessness Increase
34.7%
Renters Spending >30%
12.9%
Core Housing Need
4.5%
Rent increases
58%
of Residents Live in Poverty
Prince Edward Island
130%
Homelessness Increase
30.2%
Renters Spending >30%
6.5%
Core Housing Need
3.8%
Rent increases
53%
of Residents Live in Poverty
What We're Doing
We’re working across the housing continuum, responding to urgent needs while building long-term solutions:
Supporting
shelters, outreach, and housing navigation.
Preventing
evictions and helping people stay housed.
Investing
in transitional and supportive housing.
Leading
innovative housing solutions across the region.
Our Impact in Action
Regional Affordable Housing Division
Across the Maritimes, United Ways have a vested interest in addressing affordable housing. For more than 100 years, United Ways across the Maritimes have been tackling some of our region’s most pressing social issues at both grassroots and systemic levels and strengthening communities to create lasting change.
Sackville Tiny Home Community
The Sackville Tiny Home Community is a neighbourhood where everyone has their own place, and everyone can belong. Residents are selected from the Halifax By-Name List, which is managed and maintained by the Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia.
The Groves at Hillsdale
United Way Maritimes, The River Philip Foundation, and The Shaw Group have partnered on a new housing community called The Groves at Hillsdale.
Sunnyside Community
The Sunnyside Community is a supportive affordable housing community project in Saint John, New Brunswick. This community will offer up to 70 high-quality, deeply affordable modular home units, with wrap around supports to ensure residents can remain safely housed.
When I found out I got an accessible unit, there was so much emotion happening and so many things running through my head. All I could think about was how my life is going to transform in front of me. The things I could do now. Here is safety and stability, having my own autonomy. It's getting my own life back, not having to worry about being on the street.”
“I am so proud to be living in the Sackville Tiny Home Community. My home, my space, my sanctuary. It provides me the grace and ability to grow, learn, care, and continue my journey of healing.”
“The Sackville Tiny Home community is not only providing me a safe environment to express and grow, but it is integral to my independence and confidence. I’m into a better routine. It’s a real home that will continue to help foster a positive future. I struggle to find the words of gratitude to the United Way and the Sackville Tiny Home Community. All I can say is, thank you. It saved my life in many ways.”
Funded Agencies
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is United Way Maritimes involved in housing?
In our experience, a safe, stable, and affordable home is one of the most significant factors in alleviating poverty. United Way Maritimes provides a long-term response to the growing housing and homelessness crisis by filling critical gaps in the housing continuum as a non-market housing provider. Being the owner and property manager of our housing allows us to ensure affordability is maintained over the long term.
Our housing is designed to serve people who are falling through the cracks: renters whose main barrier to stability is the cost and availability of housing; individuals and families with stable, moderate incomes who find themselves priced out of homeownership; and people experiencing homelessness. To learn more, visit our Housing page.
What type of housing does United Way Maritimes provide?
We provide two types of housing:
Supportive Housing and Affordable Housing. Supportive Housing combines affordable housing with wraparound supports — including services such as mental health care, substance use treatment, and life skills support — to help people experiencing homelessness or living with disabilities build stability and live independently. Being homeless is a traumatic experience that affects health, relationships, and the ability to work or go to school. Our supportive housing gives residents a place to get back on their feet, set their own goals, and when the time is right move on to affordable housing or other options. [link: Sackville Tiny Homes] and [link: Sunnyside Community] fall into this category.
Affordable Housing provides low-cost housing options for individuals and families with limited income. The [link: Groves at Hillsdale] offers a mix of affordable rentals and affordable homeownership. Affordable rentals help residents manage costs during a challenging housing and cost-of-living climate. For those whose income grows over time, the pathway to affordable homeownership can help build equity and, eventually, open the door to the broader housing market or other life goals. To learn more or inquire about applications, visit the Groves at Hillsdale page or contact [email].
How can I apply to rent a home?
For details on how to apply to the Groves at Hillsdale, including whether applications are currently open, please visit the Groves at Hillsdale page for the most up-to-date information.
Why are you selling homes as a nonprofit?
Homeownership has long been one of the most reliable paths to financial stability — but for people with modest, steady incomes, it's increasingly out of reach. United Way Maritimes established an Affordable Housing Division as part of our unification, focused on providing sustainable, non-market housing that draws on our unique position and expertise to help address the growing housing crisis.
We are one of many organizations playing a role in this space, all of which bring important perspectives and experiences we value, and we know there is room for more. Through partnerships with governments, businesses, donors, and sector partners, we're working to make more affordable housing available, including homeownership options that allow residents to build equity without being priced out entirely. To learn more, visit our [link: Affordable Housing] page.