Overdose prevention site in Moncton becomes mini-tent city

Roughly a dozen people are sleeping outside a Moncton, N.B., overdose prevention site even though a new emergency cold shelter is minutes away.

One reason why is that the new provincially run shelter at the Moncton Lions Community Centre on St. George Street does not permit drugs inside.

However, neither do two of the three other shelters in the city.

Ensemble Moncton executive director Debby Warren doesn't think the new shelter is meeting the needs of people who use substances.

"We're asking people to go outside in the cold to take off their coats and do their injections, which is not safe and reasonable. My other concern is they can go into an immediate overdose and not make it back inside," said Warren.

Warren says when the new cold shelter was announced, she repeatedly asked the province to accommodate substance users by including harm reduction programming.

"This is government funded public tax dollars and I would hope that the system would understand the complexities of addictions in trying to house people who have addictions disorders, and there would be a provision for that particular part of the population because of their vulnerability," she said.

On Nov. 23, 2022, Warren tried to find a shelter bed for Luke Landry -- a substance user -- but couldn't.

Later that night, his body was found in a public washroom next to city hall.

He died of a suspected drug overdose.

"He was left without a shelter to go into and we know what the end result of that was. It doesn't mean there weren't empty beds. It means protocols and policies would not allow him to go into the shelter," said Warren.

New Brunswick's Department of Social Development is overseeing the operation at the new shelter.

In an email to CTV News, department spokesperson Rebecca Howland said no one is ever turned away from a shelter if they need services, even if they use substances.

"This is the case at both wet and dry shelters," said Howland. "At a dry shelter, people just aren’t allowed to consume onsite."

Howland said consumption of substances is allowed outside at the shelter at the Moncton Lions Community Centre and the House of Nazareth on Albert Street, and guests are allowed back in but not after curfew.

"Each shelter has a time of night when you can go out, but you won’t be allowed back in until morning," said Howland.

The shelter at Mark Avenue is a wet shelter and has a safe injection area and offers harm reduction supplies and support.

"Guests can come and go at any time at this facility," said Howland.

Two homeless men outside Ensemble on Thursday believe it would be better if all the shelters in the city were overdose prevention sites.

"Overdoses are going to happen regardless, but it's just who's there, who is a professional to save the people that are overdosing," said Stitch MacLeod. "Here, we can do what we want. We can hang out together. We can laugh together. Most of these people are good people."

Jonah Eagles agreed with him and said Ensemble is a safe place for much of Moncton's homeless population.

"We have people on site that allow us to get help if needed. Like Narcan or an ambulance or what have you. I think more people are staying here just because they feel safe," said Eagles.