A new homeless shelter in Moncton was aiming to be up and running by Thursday, but construction delays have pushed back the grand opening. 

The city hopes once it opens, people who've been living in a tent city down the street  will choose to move into the new building.

Organizers say certain construction and budget hiccups slowed down the process.

"When you're expecting to pay $5,000 and the estimate comes in at $60,000, you gotta be careful," said Jean Dube, the shelter's executive director.

The shelter is waiting for beds to arrive, as well as certain installations to be made. Dube says they're estimating 130 to 150 beds and even more if necessary.

"We'll probably be hovering around 150," Dube said. "But if the city calls us, or someone calls us, and says 'there's 50 people freezing outside' then we want to have a place for them to go, not freeze outside. That's only for emergency reasons."

In the meantime, many people, like Mike Babineau are still living down the street in tent city.

The city had hoped most of them would have moved over to the shelter by now.

"Based on original timelines, we had asked residents of the tent city to vacate and go to the shelter," said Andre Cormier of the City of Moncton.

Now that timelines have changed, the city says their policies with tent city will depend on when the shelter opens.

Babineau says he has no plans of staying at the shelter and is hoping to be on his own by then.

"That's where my focus is," Babineau said. "Getting an apartment, getting a full-time job."

Though he does believe having a wet and dry component, or allowing both intoxicated and sober people in will attract many of the homeless.

"This new shelter is more like 'OK, we understand you're on the street, you're having a hard time, you had a few drinks, you can still come in,'" Babineau said. "So, it's more flexible. Flexibility on the street level is very, very important."

Dube says while he's aware not everyone at tent city will take advantage of the new shelter, options are important.

"Right now, if you ship them out, where are they going to go?" Dube said. "They have no place to go. You need to have options for these people."

The cost of the building was $775,000.

The final price tag has yet to be determined, as well as exactly when it will open.

With files from CTV Atlantic's Kate Walker.