Neighbourhood Works Inc.

The Municipal District of St. Stephen is facing legal action over safety concerns related to its local homeless shelter.

Residents Jason Rideout, Peter Fitch, Mary Ellen Fitch and Stacy Arsenault filed an application with the Court of King’s Bench March 26.

According to court records, the residents argue the town acted “unreasonably” by allowing Neighbourhood Works Inc. to continue operating within town limits.

On Oct. 29, Coun. Marg Harding brought forward a notice of motion calling on the municipality to take steps — including consulting provincial agencies, non-profit organizations and other stakeholders — to relocate and remove the homeless shelter from within municipal boundaries.

Harding cited safety concerns from nearby residents related to drug use and other activities.

Council rejected the motion, saying it would conflict with other decisions made at the same meeting, including approval of the municipal plan identifying where facilities such as homeless shelters may be located, and the creation of a Community Well-Being Task Force.

According to the town’s website, the task force is intended to serve as an advisory body established by council to provide insight and recommendations on strategies that promote residents’ social, physical, mental and environmental well-being.

The group is expected to work with municipal staff, community organizations, law enforcement and provincial agencies to identify local priorities and support initiatives that enhance quality of life.

While council agreed the shelter’s current location — in St. Stephen’s downtown core at 59 Union St. — is not ideal, Mayor Allan McEachern said council should wait for input from the task force before deciding whether to remove or relocate the shelter.

“Maybe out of that task force they’ll design a better resolution to present to council,” he said.

In an emailed statement, Rideout said council’s decision is affecting residents, business owners and families, who felt they had “nowhere else to turn after exhausting every other avenue available to them.”

Rideout said he and the other applicants are not opposed to “compassionate solutions for people experiencing homelessness,” but believe residents raising safety concerns have a right to be heard.

“This is about whether a municipal government can ignore its own community’s safety concerns without consequence, and whether the people most directly affected have a right to be heard,” he said.

Through the lawsuit, the applicants are asking a judge to overturn council’s decision and require the town to take steps to remove and relocate the shelter. They allege the town violated the Local Governance Act.

The act outlines the purposes of local government, and the applicants allege council’s decision contradicts those purposes by failing to provide necessary services or facilities, support safe and viable communities, and promote the community’s economic, social and environmental well-being.

The residents are also suing Neighbourhood Works Inc.

Acadia Broadcasting contacted both the town and Neighbourhood Works Inc. for comment. Both declined due to the ongoing legal proceedings.

Court records show no response has yet been filed.