Proposed housing, services hub in Labrador moving forward with consultant search underway

A proposed housing and services hub in Labrador is moving to the next phase as the provincial government looks to hire a consultant to finalize the design — only a month after it said the project was on hold for further consultations. 

The Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation announced plans for a new facility on Hamilton River Road in Happy Valley-Goose Bay last fall. 

The proposed facility would include 30 shelter beds, 20 private rooms, 20 one-bedroom apartments, a medical clinic, a commercial kitchen and a cultural space. When the project was announced, John Abbott, then minister responsible for N.L. Housing, said he wanted to see "shovels in the ground in the spring." 

In June, Abbott told reporters in St. John's the project had been put on hold, citing local opposition. He clarified his comments Monday, saying the government is committed to the project but wants to take more time to gauge public interest and reaction.

"We're doing further consultations in the community, and we're making sure when we pull the design together, and the outline of services, that it meets everybody's expectations," Abbott said June 12.

"When we go to the public again we will have a broader presentation."

The project has faced criticism by some in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, including an 850-person petition calling for a detox and treatment centre instead of the proposed housing facility. 

Following the June delay and a cabinet shakeup, Liberal MHA Paul Pike took on the portfolio of N.L. Housing.

Pike said on July 19 the project is moving ahead and the provincial government had issued a request for proposals for a consultant to work on the facility's design. 

"This phase will provide a detailed project design, which provides opportunities for further public engagement," he said. "So there will be further consultations with the public, and we have to make sure that we are doing something here that will meet the needs of the community."

Pike said the $30 million earmarked for the facility was part of the 2023 budget. The plan is to build it only a kilometre from the Labrador Health Centre at the former provincial tree nursery. Pike said consultations will be held with the general community after the consultant is hired. 

"The bottom line here is that there's an identified need in the community to address chronic homelessness," Pike said. "We will be doing much more in the future to ensure that this hub that we're doing, this integrated hub, is going to meet the needs of everyone in that area."

The province has mailed out householder information to everyone in the community and has a new website to provide information about the hub and its services, and includes and opportunity for people to provide feedback online, Pike said. 

Mayor George Andrews said he wants it to be clear the project is being run by the province and the town will hold its own consultation process when the province's permit application comes to the council. 

Andrews said he will be taking direction from the community. The province has realized consultation with residents and businesses hasn't been thorough enough, he said.

"What we're trying to get for residents which is, you know, as much information as possible so people can form their own opinion," Andrews said. 

Andrews said there are people in the community who support the project but two large signs have recently been erected alongside roads, telling drivers to honk their vehicle's horns if they don't support the project.

Andrews said the signs show that there are vocal people in town who don'tt support the facility. 

"The information that they have is well researched and things like that," he said. "So I just think it indicates that there isn't or hasn't been enough discussion."

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