Homelessness rates continue to rise in Fredericton

The number of people living rough in Fredericton has increased by close to a third compared to last year.

In 2022, 186 people were on the city's list for those without a home, this year the number is up to about 275.

"That includes anybody that's in the shelters,” said Warren Maddox, executive director of Fredericton Shelters.

“Also, it's including people that are rough that we know about so yeah it's increased about 90, 90 people since last year.”

"The numbers are growing and that's concerning,” said Joan Kingston, chair of the Community Action Group on Homelessness.

“The other concern that I have is about half of those people are at the risk of being outside and unsheltered this winter.”

The deputy mayor says a growing city comes a growing homeless population.

"The scope and the scale of our local collaboration is better than ever,” Greg Ericson said.

“So I've got a lot of hope that we can address these increases appropriately.”

According to Maddox, between The Shelters, John Howard Society, and transitional housing there are about 175 beds available in the city, leaving roughly 100 people with nowhere to sleep during frigid winter nights.

"It's really just a matter of hanging in there,” Maddox said.

“Come to us for warmth come to the hub for warmth, there's churches and other groups providing material support for the people that are out there.”

Fredericton's Homeless Hub at the Victoria Health Centre is aiming to be open for the first week of December.

The Hub doesn't provide beds, but will be open 24 hours, seven days a week, and it will provide services such as case workers, addictions counsellors and other supports.

"We need to look at longer term solutions, we need to find housing, we need to find more and more deeply affordable housing, we need more support for housing,” Kingston said.

“Because many of the people that I'm most worried about have challenges around mental health and addiction and for them in order to be successfully housed to have support those supports are not plentiful enough.”

In an attempt to deal with the colder weather the Department of Social Development has increased beds in various facilities across the province by 200 they told CTV News in a statement.

There are 301 permanent emergency shelter beds across the province.

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