Commercial office space

This three-storey, 38,000 square-foot former high school located in North End Sydney is home to the New Dawn offices and more than a dozen commercial tenants. Built in 1958, the building underwent major energy efficiency upgrades in 2024, including the replacement of all 85 windows and the installation of heat pumps throughout. These improvements have significantly enhanced temperature regulation and dramatically reduced energy costs – strengthening New Dawn’s ability to provide affordable commercial space for small businesses and non-profit organizations. Up until its closure in 2011, Holy Angels High School was the largest girls’ school east of Montreal – today it serves as a community hub for organizations working in immigration, youth services, climate and environmental action, and employment supports.

New Dawn is Canada’s oldest Community Development Corporation. Since 1976, we’ve been working to create a more just, healthy, and self-determined community by responding to local needs and driving long-term, systems-level change. Today, New Dawn continues to focus on self-reliance, resilience, and community-led transformation. Every day, we engage thousands of community members and employ over 150 Cape Bretoners through programs and services that are practical, creative, and grounded in care. Our work spans health and social care, housing, the arts, youth, immigration, and community development. Some of these services generate revenue, which we reinvest into our organization — fueling sustainability and deepening community impact.