As Canada’s oldest Community Development Corporation and a founding member of the Canadian Community Economic Development Network (CCEDNet), we hold a steadfast belief: true and lasting change happens when communities are empowered to define their own path and shape their own destiny.
Founded in response to Cape Breton’s economic and industrial decline, New Dawn emerged as a quiet revolution — a space where local voices could rise, where leadership could grow from within, and where the future would be shaped not for the community, but by the community.
Nearly fifty years later, our reach has expanded and our programs have evolved, yet our purpose endures: to engage the community in creating a culture of self-reliance. What began as a response has become a movement — a collective commitment to a Cape Breton that is vibrant, resilient, and thriving.
New Dawn exists to nurture a community that is vibrant, healthy, just, and self-reliant through:
Cultivating spaces where local leadership, voices, and decisions can flourish
Building an economic foundation that is sustainable and rooted in community care
Raising our voices for deep, lasting change in areas like immigration, housing, energy, and governance
Some of New Dawn’s services generate revenue, which — true to our non-profit model — is reinvested back into the organization to expand and deepen our community impact. We are governed by a volunteer board of directors and operate with a commitment to sustainability, innovation, and transparency.
Our work moves in two directions, both grounded in care and driven by possibility: We listen to the present needs of our neighbours, answering with housing that shelters, care that uplifts, meals that nourish, and support that helps newcomers find home.
At the same time, we also turn our efforts toward the roots — shifting the systems and structures that stand in the way of Cape Breton’s full potential. Today, our efforts are focused on reimagining immigration, governance, and energy.
New Dawn is about possibility — about what unfolds when people come together with courage in their hearts, care in their hands, and a shared belief in a better tomorrow.
We exist to nurture that belief, and bring it into being.
Community
The steady pulse at the heart of every decision, every action
Leadership
Fearless, honest, and empowering
Independence
Courage to speak truthfully and act with integrity
Integrity
The foundation of trust woven through every authentic relationship
Partnership
Collaboration with those who share our vision for Cape Breton
Service
Leadership grounded in compassion, carried with humility, and guided by deep respect
At New Dawn, the Board of Directors serves as both compass and caretaker — guiding the organization with vision, integrity, and deep connection to the community it serves.
These volunteer leaders do not manage day-to-day operations; instead, they set the course, hire and support the CEO, and ensure New Dawn’s work remains rooted in purpose, possibility, and sustainability.
Drawn from across the community, the Directors bring diverse perspectives and deep local knowledge to the table, helping New Dawn stay grounded in local realities while reaching toward a more just and self-reliant future for Cape Breton.
2021-2022
2020
2019
As we bid the year adieu, we do so knowing that thirty-five of our neighbours, friends, and family now have – in The Village at Pine Tree Park – a warm, safe, dependable, and loving place to lay their… read more
It is with great pride and gratitude that I share New Dawn’s progress over the past year. This has been a time of growth and meaningful change, as we strengthened programs and services to better serve… read more
Every day at New Dawn, we engage the community to meet the needs of today and imagine new possibilities for tomorrow. Whether it’s a warm meal for a senior, a safe place for a youth to call home, or a studio where artists and entrepreneurs can dream and build — your support makes it possible. It’s a shared investment in the kind of Cape Breton we all want to call home. With your help, we can do more
"I've worked with a lot of development corporations and companies and communities, and New Dawn is a rock in our community. I love that it's the oldest community development corporation and, in my opinion, one of the most successful and sustainable in the country. I’ve always been very proud of my relationship with New Dawn."
—Annette Verschuren and Stan Shibinsky,
New Dawn donors
Last year, with community support, we had the following impact:
Delivered 20,000+ nutritious meals to seniors
Provided safe, supportive housing to dozens of youth and adults
Offered subsidized care to help seniors age with dignity, at home
Supported 600+ newcomers in making Cape Breton their home
Created affordable workspace for 45+ artists and social impact organizations
Make a one-time gift, become a monthly donor, or leave a legacy. Give in the way that's right for you.
| Title | Schedule | Wage/Salary | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trustee, Community Support | Permanent, Full-Time (32 hour per week, 75% Remote, 25% On-Site, 2-3 days per month in Port Hawkesbury) | $40,040 | APPLY by September 12, 2025 CLOSED |
| Trustee, Community Support | Permanent, Full-Time (75% Remote, 25% In-Office) | $40,040 | APPLY by June 20, 2025 CLOSED |
| Accounts Receivable Coordinator | Permanent, Full-Time/Part-Time | $50,000-$56,500 annually | APPLY by April 18, 2025 CLOSED |
AUDIO: CBC Radio reporter Brittany Wentzell gets a tour of the newly opened space with youth worker Al Cusack and Youth Advisory Committee members
AUDIO: Updates on the New Dawn Youth and Family Centre and the Icelandic Prevention Model, two projects working in tandem to reshape the future of Glace Bay, on CBC Radio’s Information Morning
Cape Breton Post, September 15, 2025
New Dawn Enterprises
37 Nepean St, Sydney, Nova Scotia B1P 6A7
newdawn@newdawn.ca
902-539-9560
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Eymu’ti’k Unama’ki, newte’jk l’uiknek te’sikl Mi’kmawe’l maqamikall mna’q iknmuetumittl. Ula maqamikew wiaqi-wikasik Wantaqo’tie’l aqq I’lamatultimkewe’l Ankukamkewe’l Mi’kmaq aqq Eleke’wuti kisa’matultisnik 1726ek.
We are in Unama’ki, one of the seven traditional and unceded ancestral territories of the people of Mi’kma’ki. This territory is covered by the Treaties of Peace and Friendship which the Mi’kmaq first signed with the British Crown in 1726.
Ketu’-keknuite’tmek aqq kepmite’tmek ula tela’matultimkip wjit maqamikew ta’n etekl mtmo’taqne’l. Ula tett, ula maqamikek, etl-lukutiek l’tunen aqq apoqntmnen apoqnmasimk aqq weliknamk Unama’ki.
We wish to recognize and honour this understanding of the lands on which we reside. It is from here, on these lands, that we work to create and support a culture of self-reliance and vibrancy.
AuCoin Renovations is matching all donations to the New Dawn Youth and Family Centre up to $10,000.
Glace Bay’s young people deserve a safe, welcoming place to learn, grow, and belong. The new Youth & Family Centre is being built for them, and your gift can help open its doors.
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