Homeless plan for St. Stephen, N.B., to be announced soon: social development minister

Neighbourhood Works has been operating a 24/7 warming centre in St. Stephen, N.B., for two months. The drop-in centre was initially opened as a temporary measure until a permanent shelter could be built, but there are still no concrete plans for such a long-term structure.

In early December, the municipality declared a local state of emergency following the death of a homeless man in the community. Public Safety Minister Kris Austin quickly terminated the order, but it was understood the two levels of government would work together to get a permanent shelter built for the town’s homeless.

In late January, plans were announced for the construction of a shelter at the end of Happy Valley Road. That idea was met with heavy resistance from those who live and work in the area, ultimately leading to the shelter being put on pause following a meeting between residents and officials.

Social Development Minister Jill Green says more news on the matter should be announced in the days ahead.

“We got to put a few finishing touches on a few things that are happening there,” says Green, “But extremely encouraged, very good relationship, collaboration between the community, community partners, the Department of Social Development, and where it's wonderful to see when everybody's working together.”

“I'm just pleased to see it progressing the way it is,” says the local MLA Kathy Bockus. “As the minister said, we're all working very collaboratively together and we hope to have something to say in the next few days.”

It is unclear if those plans will involve the original location at the end of Happy Valley Road. Andrea McCaffrey is the spokeswomen for the group “Concerned Neighbours of Happy Valley Road” and says following the meeting with officials in late January, they were confident no shelter would come to their area.

Now they aren’t so sure.

“Simply because we haven’t heard anything,” says McCaffrey. “We told them at that meeting we were willing to help them get a location and a resident’s point of view or whatever but we haven’t heard from anybody.”

Dustin Kennedy lives on the streets in St. Stephen, and admits he isn’t so sure if any plan to address the issue will ever come to fruition.

“I don’t have much confidence in it at all, but talk is cheap right,” he says.

There are around 100 people living rough in the border town and while many have been staying at the warming centre (which does not have beds or cots for people to sleep on), Kennedy says a number of folks are still sleeping on the street.

He credits the team at Neighbourhood Works, saying they have made a difference for those on the streets in St. Stephen.

“We get donations brought in and the staff cooks it up really good,” says Kennedy. “If there’s a situation that breaks out between two of the residents, that staff is quick to jump on it right and de-escalate it, and they are really good at speaking with people, especially two of them who have been awesome.”

Kennedy says the homelessness issue won’t truly be solved until addiction and mental health services can be provided to those living rough. He notes not everyone living on the street is addicted to drugs or is a bad person, and reminds residents to treat them like they would anyone else. 

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