A group that builds small, insulated shelters for the homeless in Halifax says the municipal government has started to remove some of the structures at sites around the city.
The advocacy group Halifax Mutual Aid posted an image Friday on social media of one of the wooden structures being lifted up by heavy machinery.
The group said the shelter had been occupied, and the person living there was at work when it was removed.
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In a statement, the municipality said the province has worked to ensure temporary accommodation options, which can lead to permanent housing, were made available to all of the occupants of the temporary shelters as of Tuesday, when the municipality issued notices.
To date, six individuals who had previously been occupying a temporary shelter have accepted a housing solution, according to the city.
The advocacy group began erecting the tiny shelters in January in response to a shortage of affordable rental accommodation in the city.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Community Services has said home support workers are attempting to arrange hotels, and eventually permanent housing, for people staying in the shelters.
Carley Sampson said in an email it is up to the 12 residents of the shelters to accept the assistance, as it is a voluntary program.
She said the department has partnered with the Out of the Cold Shelter, which is prepared to offer individuals a safe place to stay as they seek permanent, stable housing.
During the early waves of the pandemic, the city’s homeless population grew, but Sampson said it has been declining this year.
She provided figures indicating that as of Tuesday, there were 352 people seeking housing, which is 138 fewer than on Dec. 8, 2020.
Municipality on the removal of shelters
Halifax Regional Municipality released a statement Friday regarding the removal of three temporary shelters.
HRM said that the shelter on Crathorne Park in Dartmouth was removed after confirming that the occupant had accepted temporary accommodations offered by the province.
The two other shelters on Victoria Park and Raymond Taavel Park in Halifax were also removed after HRM determined that both were vacated and that there had been no activity at these temporary shelters in recent days.
Occupants of temporary shelters were asked to vacate and remove all personal belongings following the release of the notices this week.
The notice also called on those who installed the temporary shelters to remove them.
“Halifax Mutual Aid Society, which has claimed responsibility for the installation of the temporary shelters, has publicly stated that it will not be removing any of the temporary shelters,” said HRM.
A deadline date of July 13 had been given to remove the shelters.
“The deadline date of July 13 was not a commitment by the municipality to refrain from the removal of the temporary shelters prior to this date – rather, it was a notification that the shelters must be vacated by occupants and removed by those who installed them no later than July 13,” stated the municipality.
Whenever an occupant vacates a temporary shelter – prior to, or as of the deadline of July 13 – the municipality said it will take steps to remove the vacant shelter as soon as possible.
-With files from the Canadian Press