30 more affordable-housing units coming to Moncton this year, set for seniors

A Moncton housing organization plans to create 30 affordable units in a former office building on the corner of St. George Boulevard and Bessborough Avenue.

Dale Hicks, president of Rising Tide Community Initiatives Inc., said the building will be for seniors who are on the N.B. Housing waitlist.

"There's 620 seniors that were on the ... list in December," said Hicks.

"So this is the first step in trying to … fill that gap in the community that's not being filled right now."

Rising Tide bought the former Wawanesa Insurance building for $3.3 million, and Hicks said the whole project will cost in the range of $8.5 million.

Hicks said Rising Tide has created 117 units, spread over 10 properties, since starting three years ago, but the organization's original mandate was 153. The group has plans in place to submit building permits soon to reach that goal. 

The building, at 1010 St. George Blvd., will have 30 one-bedroom units split between the ground floor and upper floor, said Hicks, and Rising Tide is still deciding whether the lower level will be used for community groups or if it will have additional units.

Renovations are expected to begin in February.

He said the building's location is ideal for seniors, with a church across the street, a pharmacy and convenience store down the road and Centennial Park nearby. 

The building won't be use for people who are homeless, said Hicks, as he believes the location isn't suitable for that kind of housing. 

"We're trying to do affordable housing in other areas where it's suitable, but we had to be cognizant, when we're doing housing for [the] most vulnerable, that it kind of fits in the neighbourhood and it doesn't cause a big panic."

The City of Moncton committed $720,000 to the project, and Hicks said the province has agreed to contribute close to $3 million. Rising Tide is also expecting a federal contribution of $3 million to $4 million, he said.