Second homeless encampment dismantled in Fredericton
Outreach workers in Fredericton spent the day taking down tents at a second encampment site on the city’s north side Monday.
Officials say cold weather and two recent fires have made the sites unsafe for people living there and others.
"It actually went smoother than we thought. We thought there'd be a bit more resistance there, otherwise in terms of people packing up and moving towards us, not as much, pretty much what we expected," said Warren Maddox, the executive director of The Shelters.
At least eight of the 11 people found at the encampment Monday morning refused shelter space.
The south side encampment came down on Friday. Maddox says the majority of those who resided there moved into shelter space.
"We got a couple guys to come to Saint John House, we were working on one woman to go to Grace House, I think she was going to go, she's just tired of the cold,” Maddox said.
“And that's about it, I think the rest of them just packed up their stuff and I think they just went down the trail half a kilometre and will re-set up.”
Maddox says they'll try again with the holdouts, but it's unlikely that they'll ever get them all into a shelter.
Neither community outreach nor city police will force people to go to a shelter if they deny the service.
Community groups are concerned for the safety of those who remain in tents due to the cold, and the threat of carbon monoxide poisoning or fire from propane heat.
"There's various types of shelter spaces and housing options being made available, and it's evident by what we're seeing that we need more and we'll continue to work as a community to ensure that happens,” said Kate Rogers, mayor of Fredericton.
The city maintains an ever-changing record of those who do not have a home in Fredericton.
As of Thursday, there were 161 people on that list.
"You can view it as an exercise in futility,” Maddox said.
“But the greater scheme is that at least we've got three of them pointed in the right direction, and the other ones thinking about it, so it's not a giant step, it's more of a baby step but at least it's pointing in the right direction ahead as opposed to a step back, so we're working on it."
There are at least 20 shelter spaces readily available in the city for those who need them.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.