Our History

ST. ANTOINE HOUSING CORPORATION INC. (incorporated March 21, 1974)

 

Société d’habitation de St-Antoine Inc. is a non-profit organization that was incorporated on March 21, 1974, to meet the needs of seniors in the region.

 

This initiative followed a survey of the Saint-Antoine community in 1972, after which data analysis clarified the state of services and the needs of the population. The creation of the Saint-Antoine Housing Corporation was sponsored by the Saint-Antoine Municipal Council and the Saint-Antoine Golden Age Club.

 

When it was founded, the Saint-Antoine Housing Society comprised three components: social housing, the St-Camille Residence, and the Saint-Antoine Care Home.

 

Social housing:

 

Land was purchased and a ten-unit apartment building for low-income individuals was constructed on Golden Age Street. In 1975, the project was completed and named Villa Saint-Antoine (the operation was under provincial responsibility). In 1991, an agreement was reached with the New Brunswick Department of Housing to build four housing units; two single-family homes and one semi-detached home were built on Doral Street and Canada Street. In 1992, the Villa Saint-Antoine project was renamed Villa Octave Cormier. In 1995, two more single-family homes were added (management and operation are the responsibility of the Société d’habitation de Saint-Antoine). In 2019, the house on Canada Street was sold, and in 2020, the house on Doral Street was sold. Currently, there are still two single-family homes and one semi-detached home located on Doral and Canada Streets.

 

St. Camille Residence:

 

In 1975, we proceeded with the purchase of the convent of the Sisters of Notre-Dame du Sacré-Cœur on Church Street. In 1976, we began renovating the convent to turn it into a 16-bed special care residence. In 1977, the ribbon-cutting ceremony took place and the name Résidence St-Camille was chosen in honor of Father Camille Vautour. Starting in 1979, the basement of this building was used as storage space for various organizations and businesses in Saint-Antoine. In 1980, the Board of Directors Foundation was created with ten (10) founding members. In 1990-1991, major renovations (modernization and addition of space) were carried out at the residence, and in 1999, Résidence St-Camille closed its doors due to financial difficulties. In 1999, the Caisse populaire de Saint-Antoine took possession of the property as first mortgagee, and in 2002, the Council repurchased Résidence St-Camille through the Société d’habitation de Saint-Antoine, and it was demolished to make way for a parking lot and green space.

 

Saint-Antoine Care Home:

 

In 1978, we acquired land from the Sisters of Notre-Dame du Sacré-Cœur and Mr. Philippe Melanson with a view to developing plans for the construction of a nursing home. In March 1981, a brief was submitted to the Minister of Health, the Honorable Brenda Robertson, reiterating the request for a 50-bed nursing home. On June 29, 1983, the Honorable Charles Gallagher, Minister of Health, announced the approval of a 30-bed nursing home. On November 13, 1983, the Société d’habitation de Saint-Antoine and the Board of Directors of Résidence St-Camille merged. On December 20, 1984, a $1.4 million contract was awarded for the construction of a 30-bed nursing home, and construction took place in 1985-1986. On February 24, 1986, we welcomed our first resident, Mr. Laurie Léger. In 1990, the Promenade papillon (a path around the building) was developed, and in 1996-1997, the Salon Beausoleil (a multifunctional space) was added. In January 2004, we acquired a property on Camille Street to create a safe and stimulating outdoor space called Jardin soleil levant (an initiative of resident Alfred LeBlanc). On January 19, 2023, a meeting was held between the members of the Réseau de vie confort board and the members of the Société d’Habitation de Saint-Antoine board concerning the transfer of the management of the Société d’Habitation de Saint-Antoine Inc. operations. The legal documents were signed and the merger is final. The Société d’Habitation de Saint-Antoine will be managed by the Réseau de vie confort. The former members of the Société’s board will form an advisory committee, and two of these members will sit on the board of the Réseau de vie confort.

 

The Community Advisory Committee represents the voice and needs of the region’s citizens to the Comfort Life Network Board of Directors.