A local couple donated 46 acres of land in early January 2026 to help build new low-cost homes and support services in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. Dr. Amy Hendricks and her husband, Paul Davie, gave the property to three different community groups to ensure the land is used for people who need it most.
The land will be split between the Antigonish Affordable Housing Society, L’Arche Antigonish, and the Antigonish Women’s Resource Centre. By removing the cost of buying land, these groups can now focus on getting government grants to build housing for seniors, people with disabilities, and women fleeing domestic violence.
The donors bought the wooded property in 2021 specifically to keep it from being turned into expensive private estates. Their plan is to create an intentional community where residents from all three organizations can live near each other and share common areas like gardens and walking trails.
Project leaders are currently working on planning and zoning for the site to determine how many units can be built. Organizers say this type of private donation is rare but helpful because finding affordable land is usually the biggest obstacle to creating new housing in the region.
