Moncton council to consider ending homeless centre lease

Moncton council is considering whether to evict a homeless support centre from a city-owned building downtown.

Council voted last fallto lease473 St. George St. to the provincial government for a year for use as a drop-in and service site.

The centre, dubbedBridge To Home, has been run by the John Howard Society of Southeastern New Brunswick. Last winter it offered emergency shelter beds.

On Monday, a motion was introduced by Coun. Shawn Crossman to terminate the lease and resume using the building as a community centre.The motion was seconded by Coun. Daniel Bourgeois and will be debated and voted on Oct. 7.

The motion cites crime, drug use and questions about whether services promised are being delivered as reasons for ending the lease.

"Wecannot continue to allowthese people to go without their services they need and put the communities at risk, as well as themselves at risk,"Crossmantold reporters.

He said the timing is aimed at putting pressure on the province in the midst of a provincial election. The campaign is scheduled to begin Thursday, with election day Oct. 21.

Dan Brooks, the executive director of theJohn Howard Society of Southeastern New Brunswick, was not available for an interview Tuesday.

Brooks said in an emailed statement that the organization was surprised by some of Crossman's comment on Information Morning Monctonabout its transparency and communication, given it regularly meets with city hall staff and others.

The organization remains open to further dialogue, Brooks said, and is concerned about discussions of changing locations as winter approaches.

"This suggestion comes at a time when, for the first time in recent years, [John Howard Society] and other non-profits in this field are not entering the winter in a state of crisis.

"Our focus has always been to ensure that the individuals we serve are supported, mainly as winter presents increased challenges for those experiencing homelessness."

A 330-word statement from the Department of Social Development on Tuesday says the province supports the work of John Howard in Moncton, but did not directly speak to the council motion to terminate the lease.

Kate Wright, a spokesperson for the department, said the province will continue to fund shelters and outreach services.

Moncton Mayor Dawn Arnold told reporters Monday evening that she's not sure how she'll vote, saying she needs more information.

But she echoed concerns about the location.

"Is it working the way the province promised us it would? I would not say it is," Arnold said.

"There's probably opportunities to make it better or, you know, to come up with other solutions in our community," she said. "I think the businesses in that area are suffering, for sure. They're feeling a lot of pressure."

The city's one-year lease agreement allowed for an extension of up to two years.

Crossman said before there's an extension he wants council to debate what's happening.

The change from community centre, under the name Moncton Lions Community Centre, to a space serving homeless people, began two years ago.

The Humanity Project operated an emergency shelter there in the winter of 2022-2023.

It opened afteradvocates warned in late 2022 that someone would die in the city without more shelter space being made available.

Luke Landry died in the public washroom outside city hall only hours after that warning.

The change from community centre to homeless support centre displaced seniors programming and other services.This year, council voted to spend$77,000 to support seniors programming at a legion hall.

It's also voted to give $28,000 to thePeter McKee Community Food Centre to help cover the cost of security after the opening of the homeless centre.