May 19 & 20, 2026

Join us at Life Branch Church

10 Lancaster Dr., Dartmouth

Together we want to change the narrative of decline around Canada’s church lands and properties, into storylines about the renewal of church communities through the reimagined use of assets for flourishing neighbourhoods and rural and urban well being.

Thousands of churches closed in Canada over the last 10 years; many disappearing to the private market. In the next 10 years many more churches will redevelop, sell or close. Some church properties are underutilized; other congregations are awakening to possibilities for justice and partnership within their neighbourhoods. Our coalition’s calling is to enrich the spiritual and social commons, with other stakeholders – community organizations, municipal planners, Indigenous groups, non-profits, artists, housing agencies. So how might we renew these civic spaces with their existing assets of bricks, mortar, and land? This gathering aims to address these questions in a Maritime context including recently rising land prices in rural and urban properties. Join us for these vital conversations!