Dozens of more affordable homes are coming to Antigonish thanks to a huge donation from a local physician.

Dr. Amy Hendricks is an internal medicine physician at St. Martha’s Regional Hospital.

She tells our newsroom, her and her husband purchased 46 acres of land in 2023, to build a new clinic, only 90 seconds from the hospital, and realized a good chunk of it could be used for a bigger purpose.

“When we were walking through among the spruce and apple grows, my husband just commented, ‘can’t you see an affordable housing development here?’ And I said, ‘that’s a great idea.'”

Hendricks says, after that, the plan was put into motion – and they are excited.

Not only did the community rally around the need for sewage, she says, they also gave a couple of acres to CACL for a group home.

“We’ve got our plans for the clinic pretty much good to go, as we didn’t have time to get it framed this fall, but that will be done in the spring. In the meantime, affordable housing has that they’re prepared as an organization to really migrate toward much larger projects than they have done before.”

“We are really looking forward to being part of this community. I’m 52 now. I would love for this to be part of my life for the next 30 years. This is what we want to be a part of.”

Helping health care staff

It is still surprising who needs affordable housing, according to Hendricks, and that includes health care staff.

She says, although it’s a little bit selfish, she hopes the units will also help out those who work at the hospital.

“I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve heard this brought up at the hospital when we find it very difficult to staff really critical services. Like the people who are called in the middle of the night to do a CT scan when someone’s had a stroke…someone’s called in the middle of the night to help with an incubation or help resuscitate a baby. Those people are all supposed to live within 20 minutes of the hospital, but on their salaries, they can’t afford to do so.”

She adds, affordable housing is not just for people who have very little resources, but those who work hard, have a good education, providing very skilled services but find their income hasn’t kept up with the price of rent.

“The need is huge, and often where we don’t expect it.”

Housing society says ‘possibilities are endless’

The land will be called Sugarloaf.

It is along Route 337, ‘past’ Bethany and Parkland Antigonish and is close to Main Street.

With a donation of land of this size, The Antigonish Affordable Housing Society says, the possibilities of what can go there, are endless, with about 7 hectares suitable for housing.

Chair, Colleen Cameron tells us, putting 50 or 55 units down in one phase, with another 100 planned over the next several years, is a big deal for them and will put a big dent in the need.

“We can dream, we can envision…you know…something bigger. We’re in that process of having that big vision overall of what might be in 10 years’ time and then we’ll narrow in and focus on our first phase.”

Cameron adds, she was approached by Hendricks regarding the deal a couple of years ago and knowing that someone in the community wanted to do this was “unbelievable”.

Receiving a donation from a private donor, she says, is much simpler than if it comes from the government regarding things like the application process and timelines.

Next steps

Several organizations including nursing homes, the hospital and Chamber of Commerce are all looking for affordable housing for their staff, according to Cameron.

Cameron says they will have a brainstorming session next month to determine what the community will look like with not only organizations, but contractors and urban planners.

Campaign

Starting November 1, Cameron says, the housing society is starting a $20,000 matching campaign for the project that will run through December.

They are looking for donations from residents, local groups and businesses with a number of them already lined up to help.

“We just really appreciate this, there’s a big need, and we can all do it together.”

They hope to welcome new tenants in 2026/2027.