Security a concern as new shelter opens in Halifax

Up to 50 people could have a warm place to stay Monday night as Halifax’s newest shelter opened its doors.

“I’m encouraged that the province and the city are thinking of solutions to our current problem,” says Lucas Goltz, the coordinator for Halifax’s street navigator program.

But, it's being called a Band-Aid solution and one that isn't appealing to everyone.

“Shelters tend to have people that they’re experiencing a lot of turmoil in their lives. They’re dealing with addiction, they’re dealing with mental health,” says Goltz.

On Monday morning, another tent caught fire at the encampment at Grand Parade.

“The bottom line is, is it’s January, people are cold, people are getting frustrated, people are getting sick and people are doing whatever it takes in order to keep warm,” says homeless advocate Stephen Wisack.

Halifax’s newest shelter at the Forum Complex. (Jonathan MacInnis/CTV News Atlantic)

“Where I’m at is better than the shelter, in my opinion,” says encampment resident Neil Pondsek

That's because safety at shelters is a major concern for some.

Ric Young says he was attacked at the Forum complex shelter by another man during an arranged tour of the facility on Friday.

“I had 15 stitches in my inner and outer lip, three cracked teeth and a missing tooth,” Young says.

Ric Young says he was attacked at the new Halifax Forum shelter during a tour. (Jonathan MacInnis/CTV News Atlantic)

Halifax Regional Police confirm they responded to a call of an altercation.

Young says he will not move from his tent at Grand Parade.

Shelters are pictured at the Grand Parade encampment in Halifax. (Jonathan MacInnis/CTV News Atlantic)

“When you’re in the tent community like this, everybody here we know, it’s like a family to us, but when we go into a shelter we’re getting people coming from,” he said.

Officials from the province say security measures are in place.

“Like all of our sheltering options, they’ll have security in place 24/7 and there are other forms of security there as well like cameras, and other things like that,” says Suzanne Ley, the employment and income assistance executive director.

Capacity at the Forum shelter can be expanded to 70 people during extreme weather events.

902 Man-up are the service providers for the facility that will remain open around the clock until the end of August.

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