The Solutions Lab
Exploring Housing Approaches to Support Newcomer Settlement in Newfoundland and Labrador
Finding safe and stable housing is an important part of settling in a new community. Across the province, newcomers are strengthening the workforce and helping communities grow. At the same time, many families face challenges finding housing that is affordable, suitable, and available when they arrive.
The Solutions Lab (the Lab) centres the lived experience of newcomers and brings together partners from across the province to better understand housing challenges and to explore potential housing approaches.
Led by the Association for New Canadians (ANC), the Lab connects municipalities, housing providers, employers, community organizations, and newcomers to share insights and identify housing gaps across the province.
Why Housing Matters for Settlement
Housing plays a central role in helping newcomers build stable lives in their new communities. When families can secure safe and appropriate housing, they are better able to:
- Access employment opportunities
- Participate in language training and education
- Connect with community services and supports
- Establish long-term roots in their communities
However, many communities across Newfoundland and Labrador are experiencing housing pressures that make it difficult for newcomers to find suitable rental housing upon arrival.
These pressures may include:
- Limited rental housing supply in some regions
- Low vacancy rates in certain communities
- A shortage of both smaller and family-sized rental units
- Aging housing stock that requires reinvestment
- Navigating housing systems that may be unfamiliar to newcomers
Understanding these challenges is an important step toward identifying approaches that supports both newcomer settlement and community stability.
How the Solutions Lab Works
The Lab is a collaborative initiative focused on understanding housing challenges facing newcomers and identifying approaches that may support housing stability across the province.
The work of the Lab builds on several sources of knowledge and experience, including:
- A province-wide Housing Needs Assessment for Newcomers
- Housing and population data from CMHC and Statistics Canada
- Insights from ANC housing and settlement services
- Input from municipalities, housing providers, employers, and community partners
Through collaboration and shared learning, the Lab aims to deepen understanding of housing needs and identify opportunities that could improve housing access and stability for newcomer households.
Working with Communities and Partners
Housing challenges vary across Newfoundland and Labrador, and housing approaches will differ across communities
The Solutions Lab works with partners across the province to better understand local housing conditions and identify opportunities for collaboration.
Participants may include:
- Municipal leaders and planners
- Housing developers and providers
- Employers and industry partners
- Community organizations and non-profits
- Policy and funding partners
- Newcomers with lived experience
Bringing together different perspectives helps ensure that housing approaches reflect the realities of communities across the province.
Why This Work Matters
Over the next five years, Newfoundland and Labrador is projected to welcome approximately 1,700 newcomer households. The majority will require rental housing in their first years.
Ensuring that appropriate housing is available and accessible is not only a settlement issue — it is a workforce, economic development, and community sustainability issue.
The Solutions Lab is focused on developing practical, implementable housing approaches that align with the province’s demographic and economic realities.
Get Involved! Join Upcoming Sessions
The Solutions Lab welcomes collaboration from organizations and individuals interested in strengthening housing opportunities for newcomers in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Get involved if you are interested in:
- Sharing insights on housing needs in your community
- Participating in discussions and collaborative learning
- Exploring partnerships that support housing stability
- Learning more about newcomer housing challenges in the province
To learn more about the Solutions Lab, please contact:
Funding Acknowledgement
This project is supported by funding from the Government of Canada through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). The views expressed herein are those of the Association for New Canadians and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Government of Canada or CMHC