Action needed to prioritize public safety and homelessness in Greater Moncton, report finds

Steps must be taken to address homelessness and public safety in the city of Moncton; those were the findings of an extensive study involving downtown businesspeople, the government and non-profit organizations.

Unhoused & Unacceptable: Turning Words into Action to Build a Greater Moncton Homelessness Strategy was released Monday by the report’s co-authors, Dale Hicks and John Wishart. Hicks is president of the board for Rising Tide Community Initiatives, and Wishart is a former CEO of the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Moncton.

“We attended an event in November of 2024, put on by Doan Grant Thornton called the Vibrant Communities Day. They were holding a series of these across the country to bring together community leaders to discuss a big issue. And for us, the issue was, what should or could Moncton look like in 2030? At the end of that day of brainstorming issues around social challenges, homelessness, and vulnerable populations rose to the top,” Wishart told our newsroom.

He added that it was important not to let the discussion end there.

They reached out to almost every not-for-profit group that has been impacted by homelessness, along with business leaders and members of government. The results were based on 25 conversations, as well as past task force reports on the homelessness issue and updated data.

26 actions recommended

After six to eight months of compiling data, they came up with 26 specific actions in the areas of not-for-profit organization, housing, mental health and addiction services, public safety, the role of government, the role of business, and community leadership.

“We believe this report can act as a blueprint for community-wide action,” Wishart stressed. “It was clear from our discussions that no one organization, government or individual can solve homelessness. But by working together on common actions, we can make a difference.”

Wishart added that over the past five years, there has been a lot of finger-pointing, especially between the province and city about who’s accountable for what.

“I think that’s becoming more clear right now, and the province’s ministerial task force has taken on a role and actually set a pretty aggressive target of a 40 per cent reduction in chronic homelessness in three years. I think the city may better understand its role moving forward. So if we can get around the same table and understand who has jurisdiction for what, I think it’ll go a long way,” he stressed.

50 bed in-patient rehabilitation centre needed in Greater Moncton

One of the action items in the report targeting homelessness is the creation of a 50-bed in-patient rehabilitation centre for high-acuity individuals in the Greater Moncton area.

“The province is working on opening a 50-bed facility just outside of Saint John, which is great. We think there’s a greater need here in Greater Moncton. The number of chronically homeless in Moncton is around 570. And that is more than both Saint John and Fredericton combined. Most of the experts say that of those 570, about 80 can’t really be housed or treated in the community. They need a facility where they receive 24/7 care. So we need somewhere where their needs can be met. And we think a 50-bed facility is the best route,” Wishart explained.

The report suggests that people working on the frontlines of homelessness earn at least a living wage, and the creation of a coordinated not-for-profit secretariat within the provincial government.

The report suggests various bodies can work together on the plan through a new Leadership Council that includes not-for-profits, businesses, and the wider community.

Wishart stressed that steps need to be taken now, “The numbers continue to increase. I think three years ago, we had about 270 chronically homeless in Moncton; now it’s 570. The Human Development Council, every month, publishes data on the number of people who are chronically homeless. The numbers are quite staggering. It’s usually somewhere between 60 and 80 people entering homelessness in a month, and only 12 to 15 who are being housed.”

Public safety recommendations made

The report also makes several public safety recommendations, including urging the Public Safety Minister to designate City of Moncton community safety officers as “peace officers” with greater authority to respond to social issues.

Also among the actions is a call for a central public safety hub downtown, relocation of the Bridge to Home shelter, and an expansion of the Enviro Team administered by Downtown Moncton Centre-ville Inc. to clean more of the city.

As for next steps, Wishart stated they include the creation of a Greater Moncton Leadership Council.

“We think that there needs to be a group of people who might be one degree of separation from those on the front line, who can speak to government, who can mobilize for action. And these could be some not-for-profits, some people from the business community who expressed interest in doing this, and just some wider community members.”