St. Stephen ‘desperate’ for out-of-the-cold shelter as temperatures drop

The mayor of the Municipal District of St. Stephen said the town is in desperate need of an out-of-the-cold shelter to house the community members living rough or precariously housed.

Allan MacEachern estimates there are between 50 to 100 people either homeless or housed precariously, couch surfing, or staying with friends.

“It’s a very strange situation for a small town to be in,” he said in an interview Wednesday. “St. Stephen is the service hub for Charlotte County, which serves around 30,000 people, we have the location for social services, social development … this is where they get their services.”

He said people will migrate to places where services are located, which the town has, including a hospital, grocery suppliers, and pharmacies.

“We have citizens right now that are on that ladder so to speak, where they are this close to being unsheltered or homeless and so that is a growing concern,” he said.

The town had an out-of-the-cold shelter last year, but it was a temporary one and it couldn’t reopen in the same location this year. MacEachern said it has been a struggle to find a new location.

He said a more permanent shelter is the most prudent way to move forward given the need he thinks will only continue to grow amid low vacancy rates, high rents and a troubled economy.

Housing is provincial responsibility and MacEachern said he has been in talks with the minister responsible for housing, Jill Green, about funding.

But as the temperatures continue to drop, he worries about the lack of urgency around the problem.

“We’re really desperate, we need to find something temporary. Just temporary until we can get this because let’s say we try to purchase a property right now, it’s going to take a couple of weeks and then you got do all the other stuff like I just said the water, sewer and make it safe,” MacEachern said.

He said it has been challenging to incentivize developers into rural areas, despite the need. He explained there is also only so many, and the upfront cost can be high.

The town is trying to line up the pieces to get the shelter running, but time is running out before winter hits. He said the community members have stepped also, including providing food, shelter and warmth as much as possible.

MacEachern believes there must be more investment into the root issues that is leaving people without housing and proper resources.

“It’s just an urgent matter and we really got work on this … we’re talking about humans .. whatever got them to where they’re at,” he said.