Halifax, NS – September 24, 2026

The North End Community Health Centre (NECHC) brought community partners, staff and stakeholders together today for its 2026 Community Update, highlighting the Centre’s ongoing work to respond to the changing health and social needs of people across HRM.

The Community Update provided an opportunity to reflect on NECHC’s impact, share current community initiatives and highlight the partnerships that help connect people to health care, housing, food, mental health supports and other essential services.

The update comes as the needs facing the community continue to grow in both scale and complexity. NECHC’s 2026 Impact Report shows that 4,199 unique patients accessed the Centre’s services, with 40,983 visits delivered. More than 81 per cent of screened patients had at least one unmet social need, demonstrating how closely health is connected to housing, food security, income, mental health, substance use and other factors.

“The work we do at NECHC is grounded in a simple principle: people should be able to access care in ways that reflect the realities of their lives. Our community is facing increasingly complex challenges, and responding to those challenges requires more than one service or one organization. It requires relationships, collaboration and a commitment to staying connected with people over time,” said Marie-France LeBlanc, CEO, North End Community Health Centre.

NECHC’s community-based approach brings together more than 50 service types across 15-plus professions, allowing health and social supports to work together around the needs of each person. In 2026, this included primary care visits, mobile outreach activities, housing and case management supports, mental health and addictions services, dental care, food security programs and prevention initiatives.

Mobile Outreach Street Health (MOSH) continues to play an important role in making care accessible to people who may face barriers to traditional clinic-based services. The Impact Report recorded 11,679 MOSH-related activities, including 3,460 visits and 3,098 additional outreach activities in shelters, transitional housing, encampments and other community settings.

Housing remains another key part of NECHC’s work. During the reporting period, more than 200 people received housing and wraparound supports, while more than 100 people moved from homelessness into housing. Approximately 95 per cent of housed clients retained their tenancy, highlighting the importance of ongoing supports alongside housing.

The Community Update also highlighted initiatives led in partnership with organizations and community members, including the Open Table monthly meetings with North End businesses, churches and social service agencies; food security initiatives supporting more than 100 clients; mental health partnerships; community health and dental initiatives; and housing collaborations.

While the data demonstrates the reach of NECHC’s services, it also points to continued unmet demand. Approximately 100 people are on the Safe Supply Program waitlist, select mental health supports had a typical wait of approximately six months, and 81.4 per cent of screened patients had at least one unmet social need.

“Today’s Community Update is about being transparent about where we are, recognizing what we have accomplished together, and continuing to listen to what our community needs from us. We are grateful to our staff, community partners and funders who make this work possible, and we remain committed to building a system of care that meets people where they are and helps them move toward greater stability, health and connection,” said LeBlanc.

The 2026 Community Update reinforces NECHC’s commitment to community-driven health and wellness, with a focus on access, connection and continuity reaching people where they are, connecting health care with other supports, and building relationships that continue over time.

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About North End Community Health Centre

For more than 50 years, the North End Community Health Centre has been providing accessible, community-based healthcare to people across the Halifax Regional Municipality. Through integrated primary care, supported housing, Mobile Outreach Street Health (MOSH), harm reduction, dental care, mental health and addictions services, food security initiatives, and other community programs, NECHC delivers the Community Health Centre Model of Care by addressing the social determinants of health through an interdisciplinary approach that improves health outcomes while reducing demand on more costly parts of the healthcare system. NECHC prioritizes care for people experiencing homelessness and poverty, with a particular focus on African Nova Scotians, Indigenous Peoples, and 2STGD++ communities, recognizing the unique barriers and inequities these communities continue to face.

Media Contact

Marie-France LeBlanc
President & CEO
North End Community Health Centre
mleblanc@nechc.com

John Wedderburn
Director of Strategic Initiatives 
North End Community Health Centre
jwedderburn@nechc.com