New Brunswick is facing a housing emergency. Rents have skyrocketed, low-cost units are disappearing, and hundreds of individuals and families are being pushed into homelessness for the first time in their lives. Yet at the same time, vital housing subsidies — including the Direct-to-Tenant Rent Benefit and the Canada–New Brunswick Housing Benefit — have been closed or drastically reduced.

These programs were far from perfect, but they were often the only thing keeping seniors, single parents, newcomers, students, women fleeing violence, people with disabilities, and low-income workers safely housed. Without them, far too many residents are now being forced to choose between rent, heat, and food — or to enter homelessness in a province already struggling without adequate shelters or affordable housing stock.

As frontline workers, community allies, and New Brunswick residents, we see the consequences every day:

an 81-year-old man facing homelessness for the first time because his rent rose faster than his fixed income;

young families doubling up in unsafe overcrowded units;

women staying in dangerous situations because they cannot afford to leave;

disabled and immunocompromised tenants pushed into housing instability;

people working full-time who still cannot access safe, stable housing.

This is not inevitable. This is a policy choice.
And we are calling on the Government of New Brunswick to make a different choice.

We demand that the Government of New Brunswick:

Reinstate and properly fund housing subsidies such as the Direct-to-Tenant Rent Benefit and the Canada–New Brunswick Housing Benefit — or implement an equivalent program that ensures low-income households are not left behind.

Expand eligibility so single adults, people with disabilities, and low-income workers can access support — not just families with children and seniors.

Develop a clear, long-term affordable housing plan addressing the severe shortage of low-rent units, including rent supplements, non-profit housing, and partnerships with municipalities and community organizations.

Housing is not a luxury. It is a fundamental human need and the foundation for health, safety, and dignity.
New Brunswick cannot afford to continue losing vulnerable residents to homelessness, stress, and preventable hardship.

By signing this petition, you are demanding a province where everyone has a real chance at stability, safety, and home.
Let’s tell our leaders that New Brunswickers deserve better — and we will not stay silent.