The YWCA Halifax was founded in 1874 as a residence for 42 young women and girls. By 1899 the YWCA had purchased its own premises on Hollis Street and opened a new residence on the corner of Oxford and College. Activities focused on the needs of working women—like those working in the city's cotton mills.

Important milestones in our development:

• 1919 - Summer camps were established in both Hubbards and Wallace for young business women and students.
• 1922 - YWCA established a physical education programs for girls—before it was taught in Halifax schools.
• 1920s - Co-founded 'Community Chest"—a precursor of today's Metro United Way.
• 1931 - A new YWCA building was 'built from scratch' on Barrington Street by tenacious women who were undaunted by the great depression. During WWII the building housed an anti-aircraft gun on it's roof.
• 1939-1945 - The YWCA’s Joycliffe summer camp site was used by military personnel on leave. And, for many war brides immigrating through Pier 21, the YWCA became a place of rest and relaxation after a long sea journey, and before leaving the city for homes across the province.
• 1963 - In collaboration with the Junior League, the YWCA established the first licensed child care service     in Halifax.
• 1965 - A pool was added to the Barrington Street building, in response to limited municipal swimming facilities for women and their children.
• 1972 - The YWCA further expanded fitness opportunities for women by adding a weight studio.
• 1980s - The Centre for Computer Studies was established to prepare women for IT developments that were sweeping across the workforce.
• 1990s - The late nineties brought increased commitment to women's wellness throughout the life cycle, with the establishment of new programming for the pool and the opening of an on-site health clinic.
• 2003 - The YWCA began an ambitious journey that would ignite the most dramatic period of change experienced by the organization in 75 years.
• 2004 - The YWCA issued a request for proposals for the redevelopment, lease or sale of the building to public, private and non-profit organizations. In August 2005 an agreement of purchase and sale was confirmed.
• 2005 - The YWCA doubled the areas of service from fitness, residence and childcare to include the delivery of employment, health promotion and youth programs. During this time it was recognized that the Barrington Street building was underutilized and increasingly a drain on the financial health of the organization. Late in the year the sale of Barrington Street was completed. The YWCA child care centre moved to Fort Massey United Church, and YWCA administrative offices were moved to Bayer’s Road Shopping Centre.
• 2008 - The YWCA leases space in the new building erected on the old Barrington Street site. Administrative offices, programs and child care are all under one roof again. Through the renewal planning process, programs and services were measured against the guiding principles and fit with mission. The YWCA divest itself of the fitness facilities, tourist accommodations and student accommodations. Family and children’s programs, youth development, health promotion and housing for formerly homeless women expanded to thrive in multiple, program-specific locations—a true organization without walls.
  
  Since our return to Barrington Street, YWCA programs have grown exponentially to better serve families, women and young women at critical turning points in their lives. Today, the YWCA continues to support women and their families with programs and services that respond to current needs. We work with an eye on the past for a hand in the future, and with a vision of equity and freedom for women.