N.S. premier says some of Halifax's new designated encampment sites are 'completely nuts'
City recently approved additional 9 potential homeless encampment sites because existing ones are overcapacity
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston says Halifax council's decision to designate the city's Commons and Point Pleasant Park as sites for homeless encampments is "completely nuts."
Houston told reporters after a cabinet meeting Thursday that the recreation grounds in the heart of the city, and the wooded south-end park are not appropriate places for homeless residents to set up tents.
"When I saw some of the sites that the [Halifax Regional Municipality] has designated, I almost fell off my chair," he said, adding that Point Pleasant Park and the Halifax Commons are busy public areas.
"It's really hard to get the head around how the HRM council could think that these would be appropriate sites," he continued, adding that while a "number" of the nine sites designated this week are "nuts," the Commons and Point Pleasant stand out.
Earlier this week Halifax city hall approved nine new sites — seven on the Halifax peninsula and two across the harbour in Dartmouth — because existing homeless encampments are overcapacity.
A news release issued late Thursday afternoon by the city emphasized that the nine sites are potential options.
Mayor says city left to 'plug holes in a broken system'
To open any of the potential designated sites, detailed site preparation will first need to be completed by municipal staff," said the statement. "Locations on this list will only open after the completion of required planning."
Halifax Mayor Mike Savage said the city is in a tough position because it isn't responsible for files such as homelessness, mental health and addictions.
"We're just left trying to plug holes in a broken system," he told the CBC's Haley Ryan.
Savage said some of the things the city is doing to address the homelessness crisis include establishing modular housing units and designating sites for tent encampments.
"We're doing everything we can possibly do to keep people safe and to keep people in some kind of condition that provides a level of support that they need while they're homeless," he said. "This is not what we want to do, but this is what we have to do."
The Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia says there are 1,326 homeless people in Halifax.
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Corrections
- In a previous version of the story, Premier Tim Houston said the province provided a list of 40 alternative tent encampment sites to the city. In fact, the province has no involvement in suggesting locations for encampments. The 40 sites were potential locations provincewide for homelessness supports like pallet shelters and tiny homes.Jul 11, 2024 3:24 PM AT
With files from Haley Ryan
