Moncton's tent city is no more after residents were evicted from the site on Albert Street.
People who have been camping there since the spring were ordered out by the city on Thursday, leaving many frustrated and even afraid about what happens next.
"They've been telling us go, go, go; get ready, get ready," said tent city resident Delora Paul.
A letter from the city ordered residents to dismantle what's been known as "tent city."
"Before the cold weather hits, it was important for us to take some action, because it's not when the temperature plummets to minus 10 and there's snow on the ground, that we're all scrambling," said city of Moncton spokeswoman Isabelle Leblanc.
Paul says tenters were asked to leave by 5 p.m. Some have already moved to existing shelters like Harvest House, putting them at capacity.
"The bedding is not immediately the problem," said Harvest House Atlantic founder Cal Maskery. "The biggest problem is we need more staff to do that. So that's the financial issue."
Tent city began in the spring, prompting some complaints from area businesses and residents.
Things like lighting, portable toilets, and security were paid for by the city at a cost of around $35,000 a month.
"This was a temporary measure in order to fill the void between the time that we closed the emergency out-of-the-cold shelter last April and the opening of the third shelter," said Leblanc.
That third shelter down the street was expected to open Aug. 1, but an opening date has yet to be set. Staff at existing shelters say that has made it hard for them to plan ahead.
"I think there would be a lot of support if we just knew a bit of the timeline and what the holdups are," Maskery said.
As for Paul, she's unsure of her next move.
"You practically just have a bag of clothes on your back," she said.
The idea now is for tent city residents to transition somewhere safe and indoors before the winter weather hits.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Kate Walker.
