The Village at Pine Tree Park is part of a province-wide housing first initiative. This approach (1) keeps people alive so they can address challenges – like addiction – that can take time and treatment and long-term counselling to address, and (2) provides people with a safe foundation on which they can build.
In 2023, the provincial government purchased 200 single-unit shelters from the U.S.-based company, Pallet in response to growing homelessness across the province. The Village at Pine Tree Park opened in the fall of 2024 and is one of six shelter villages across Nova Scotia.
In the Cape Breton Regional Municipality, the number of people experiencing homelessness — those sleeping in cars, tents, abandoned buildings and other unsafe conditions — has increased by more than 75 percent since 2021, while the number of people at risk of homelessness has doubled in that time.
The village is designed to provide immediate, low-barrier shelter for people experiencing homelessness — offering privacy, security, and stability as a starting point — and to foster a sense of community. Over time, the village aims to help residents build a stable foundation, strength overall health and well-being, and, when they’re ready, transition to permanent housing.
For many people staying at The Village, it is the first private, safe, consistent shelter they have had in a long time. Each resident meets regularly with staff to work on an individualized plan. Together, they set goals – long-term housing, employment, physical and mental wellness – and residents are connected with the resources they need to achieve those goals.
The Village at Pine Tree Park is operated by New Dawn and the Ally Centre and funded by the provincial government. Learn more about the role of shelter villages in the province’s Action on Homelessness.
