Dartmouth hotel cancels events as negotiations with province continue

One of the largest hotels in Dartmouth appears to be changing its business model.

The DoubleTree hotel has cancelled wedding receptions and is not taking event reservations.

The owners are in negotiations with the province to possibly expand the number of rooms reserved for unhoused people.

According to Nova Scotia’s Community Services Minister Karla MacFarlane, the negotiations with Manga Hotels Incorporated on a new housing contract are in their final stages.

“We’re going to keep working with them and I think we’ll have more to say likely next week on it,” said MacFarlane.

The province has already been under contract with Manga to house close to 100 people experiencing homelessness at the hotel.

In an email to a customer obtained by CTV Atlantic, DoubleTree says it is cancelling events like weddings because of a new and expanded contract with the province for May 1.

In 2022 alone, the provincial government spent $5.6 million on sheltering people in hotels across Nova Scotia.

Premier Tim Houston says his government will continue to do what’s necessary to combat rising homelessness rates.

“The need is dramatic so the solutions are wide and varied and there’s no one solution for this other than more housing,” said Houston.

Welcome Housing, a local support agency that helps people find emergency accommodations, sent a letter to its clients at the Dartmouth hotel assuring them not to panic. The letter stated the agency is working with the province on a solution as negotiations with the hotel continue.

MacFarlane said she wasn’t aware of any job losses associated with the negotiations.

When reached by phone, Manga Hotels Director of Operations Warren Bowles declined to comment.

With files from CTV Atlantic's Jesse Thomas

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