For many years, HILC and MISA worked as partners to serve immigrants and shared values and goals as well as many clients. In August 2003, the two organizations began to also share space at Chebucto Place. Both organizations had outgrown their previous space and finding appropriate new office space in a central location for clients was a big challenge. By sharing space, we would be able to save money not only on rent, but also on equipment and supplies.
MISA left the Gottingen Street office we had occupied for five years and HILC moved out of the Alma Crescent Building where we had spent many years. The new space was large and we were able to design the layout and division of space. For the first time, both organizations had unlimited parking for staff, clients and partners. Soon we discovered other ways to share. Part-time staff with one organization were able to add hours working for the other organization. Sharing ideas was easy when we just had to walk down the hall to our partner’s office. Soon we began submitting proposals together and sharing contracts.
In the new space we had a large computer lab, a resource centre, larger classrooms and parking for everyone! We were now close to buses for clients as well. It was not long before we had to expand to accommodate more programs and staff. We rented space on Joseph Howe for all the employment-related work and then we took offices on the third floor of Chebucto Place as well. In all, we stayed in that space for over six years, till we moved to our current location on Mumford Road at the front of the same complex.