'Strong' need for new hub for Fredericton's homeless population: Shelter operator
Ironwood Resources Centre won't be fully operational until Dec. 1, province says
The need is "strong" for a new hub in Fredericton aimed at giving homeless people a place to get out of the cold and connect with addiction treatment services, says a shelter operator.
"The numbers [of homeless people] aren't getting lower, which is the problem. So the numbers continue to grow," said Warren Maddox, executive director of Fredericton Homeless Shelters Inc.
In September, Social Development Minister Jill Green said her department was working on setting up hubs in Fredericton, Moncton and Saint John in October.
The hubs were meant to offer a place for homeless people to seek refuge from cold weather and to be connected with social services, housing, and addiction and mental health treatment.
However, the opening dates could be delayed by more than a month even as temperatures drop below freezing across the province.
CBC News asked for an interview with Green on Friday, but department spokesperson Rebecca Howland said it wasn't possible.
In an emailed statement, Howland said the Fredericton hub, called the Ironwood Resources Centre, will be located in the Victoria Health Centre on Brunswick Street and will be fully operational by Dec. 1, as will the hub in Moncton.
Howland didn't share a date for the Saint John hub, saying only it "will first open with seasonal out of the cold shelter beds and then in April 2024 will re-purpose as a fully operational Hub."
Howland said the Fredericton hub will be a 24/7 drop-in centre and will be housing-focused, "with access to washrooms/showers and laundry facilities, as well as case managers to help individuals take their next step in their journey to become housed."
Howland said the department will partner with the John Howard Society, municipal staff and others on the hub, which she referred to as a pilot project.
Maddox said he's been part of consultation meetings with the department as it works on getting the hub operational.
He said what's unique about the project is that it will bring together professionals from multiple provincial departments, addiction and mental-health-care workers, and housing outreach workers to meet with clients and work on their individual needs.
"So the project really is ... creating a place where they can go and they can meet with social assistance without having to go to Two Nations Crossing or find a phone. So there'll be somebody from Social Development there to help deal with those issues.
"There will be somebody from mental health and addictions, specifically addictions, that will be there on a regular basis to help support and try to find paths out of addiction."
Emergency shelter to provide beds
Maddox said the hub won't operate as a shelter space for overnight accommodations, but his organization will be doing its best to fill that need over the winter.
Fredericton Homeless Shelters Inc. runs Saint John House, which is a few metres away from the Victoria Health Centre.
And starting in December, his organization will also begin using the Small Craft Aquatic Centre as an emergency overflow shelter until April.
Maddox said there are about 100 people currently living outside, and he thinks there's enough space among the city's shelters to house close to all of them.
"We'll sort of revisit that again ... probably in January to see where we're at and what our numbers are saying and what our turn-away rates are," Maddox said.
He said the emergency overnight shelter was operated last year, and most nights it only had about seven of its 10 beds occupied.
Maddox said aside from the specialized services the hub will offer, it will also serve as a space where people can go to warm up and enjoy a snack and a coffee.
"From our perspective, it's refreshing to see Social Development sort of stepping up and going outside of their normal comfort zone, trying new things, trying pilot projects, bringing the expertise to the table ... and hearing what we have to say and what's needed."
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