New Brunswick renting guide
Emergency housing and shelter: where to turn now in New Brunswick
If you have nowhere to stay tonight or are about to lose your housing, help is available any time in New Brunswick. If you are in immediate danger, call 911. Otherwise dial 2-1-1 any time, free and confidential, to be connected to a shelter or support near you.
Where can I go if I have nowhere to stay tonight in New Brunswick?
For tenants
Take it one step at a time. If you are in immediate danger, call 911. For a place to stay or help right now, dial 2-1-1: it is free, confidential, available 24 hours a day, and you do not have to give your name. You can call, or chat online Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.; a text line for people who are Deaf or hard of hearing is 1-855-405-7446. 211 connects you to emergency shelters, drop-in (HUB) centres, youth housing, and other supports near you, and keeps an up-to-date list, so it is the best front door rather than calling around. After regular office hours you can also reach After-Hours Emergency Social Services at 1-833-733-7835 (or 1-800-442-9799), open weekdays from 4:30 p.m. to 8:15 a.m. and 24 hours on weekends and holidays. Once you are safe, there is longer-term help too: see our guides on the Rent Bank, which can cover arrears to stop an eviction, and on subsidized housing and rent supplements.
For landlords
If a tenant is at risk of losing their home, pointing them to help early can prevent a crisis. Dial 2-1-1, or share it with them, to connect to shelters and support, and remember the Rent Bank can pay an eligible tenant's arrears directly to you, often a faster and better outcome than an eviction.
The key facts
- In immediate danger
- Call 911
- A place tonight, or any help
- Dial 2-1-1, free and confidential, 24/7
- 211 chat
- Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Text line (Deaf / hard of hearing)
- 1-855-405-7446
- After-hours emergency
- 1-833-733-7835 (evenings, overnight, weekends, holidays)
Common questions
I have nowhere to stay tonight. What do I do?
If you are in danger, call 911. Otherwise dial 2-1-1 any time, free and confidential, and they will connect you to an emergency shelter or outreach near you. After office hours you can also call After-Hours Emergency Social Services at 1-833-733-7835.
Is 211 really free and confidential?
Yes. 211 is a free, 24/7 service, and you do not have to give your name or personal details to ask for help finding housing, shelter, and other supports.
Where can I find the actual list of shelters?
211 keeps an up-to-date directory, because shelters and their available space change often. Call 2-1-1 or use the Social Supports NB emergency housing list rather than relying on a fixed list that can go out of date.
Sources
- 211 New Brunswick
- Social Supports NB: Emergency housing
- Social Supports NB: After-Hours Emergency Social Services
This is general information, not legal advice. For a decision on your situation, contact Tenant and Landlord Relations Office (formerly the Residential Tenancies Tribunal).
Have a specific question? Ask the rental assistant for a plain answer with a source.


