Proposed homeless shelter ‘on pause’ in St. Stephen, N.B., after neighbours voice concerns

Residents on Happy Valley Road in St. Stephen are declaring victory after the minister responsible for seniors and MLA for St. Croix Kathy Bokus told them a temporary homeless shelter was on “pause” despite the more than 100 people living rough in the community.

The shelter site was planned for 24 Happy Valley Rd., an undeveloped parcel of land behind a street of houses in the town.

But residents said they were concerned about the proximity to the high school and “about the drugs and crime” associated with those experiencing homelessness.

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In early December, the Municipal District of St. Stephen declared a state of emergency over the growing number of people living rough and following the death of a man in a public space.

At the time, Mayor Allan MacEachern said “the failure of the government of New Brunswick to provide adequate housing and social services to citizens affected by homelessness has resulted in deterioration of quality of life within our community.”

Public Safety Minister Kris Austin would later rescind the emergency declaration, suggesting the community’s rationale did not amount to a state of emergency.

Speaking to reporters back in December, he said the declaration was frivolous.

“People die all the time in car accidents. We don’t (call) a state of emergency over vehicles on the road,” he said.

Andrea McCaffrey, a spokesperson for Concerned Residents, said after the more than two-hour meeting that “to put it bluntly, we won.”

“It has been put on pause for now so we can help them find a suitable location with the possibility of going into something long term and some temporary waste of money there,” she said speaking to reporters.

She said it is possible things could change, but the group is happy with the decision to put the project on pause. McCaffery confirmed it was senior’s minister and local MLA Kathy Bockus who confirmed the project would be on pause.

There is currently no shelter space in St. Stephen, only an out-of-the-cold shelter run by Neighbourhood Works Inc.

She said the plan was to keep the trailers and shelter space there for three years.

“Three years is not temporary, at all,” she said. “It’s not acceptable by any of us, any of the neighbours over here. We’re just happy it went the right way.”

McCaffrey said she is concerned about those living outdoors now.

“They shouldn’t be put in that situation,” she said. “But we, as a neighbourhood, also shouldn’t be put in that situation.”

Minister Bockus was asked directly whether she’d told the crowd of about 50 that the project was on hold.

“As I said, we’re going to take their concerns, the committee is going to take their concerns back, evaluate them, listen to what was said tonight, and then go forward from there,” she said.

Global News was not allowed inside the meeting, but a recording provided shows Bockus saying “yes, let’s press pause but let’s find a solution.”

The minister added toward the end of the statement, that “we’re still committed.”

When asked by reporters why the members of the community left the meeting with the impression the shelter is on pause, she said “she had no idea.”

“It depends on the committee and the working group,” Bockus said.

She could also not answer direct questions about who makes the final decision about where the shelter, whether temporary or permanent, might go.

Global News has reached out to the Department of Social Development for clarification on the status of the project and who makes the final decision and is awaiting a response.

Mayor MacEachern said his understanding when he left the meeting was that the project was on pause.

“It certainly looks that way,” he said. “I have to have some more discussions to find out what that really means but my goal moving forward if it is paused I want commitment … that we still have an issue here … we still need to deal with it.”

MacEachern said he wants to make sure the government is committed to helping find a solution for those living outdoors.

“It’s getting hard to watch,” he said. “I’m literally sick about it and we’re just all sitting here watching it happen but we got to take care of this.”

He said he believes the responsibility for the final decision has to come from all levels of government involved and the community, but must be done so with urgency.

MacEachern wouldn’t say whether he was disappointed by the decision to “pause” the project, but he added he needed a better understanding of what that really means.

And while more than 100 people, by the town’s estimates, continue to remain without a safe shelter space, MacEachern said the work done by Neighbourhood Works Inc. is giving him some confidence people will be somewhat safe for the time being.

“The worry is there,” he said. “We’re so blessed to have that group doing what they’re doing. You think it’s crazy right now, imagine how bad it would be if they weren’t doing what they’re doing already.”