City funds homeless centre and shelter, keeping people out of the cold
The City of Fredericton is giving the Phoenix Learning Centre and the out-of-the-cold shelter Marshall House funding to help get people into the shelter more quickly and keep the doors of the learning centre open longer.
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Posted: Jan 27, 2021 7:30 AM AT | Last Updated: January 27
The Phoenix Learning Centre can take in 30 people because of COVID-19 restrictions.(Gary Moore/CBC)
FREDERICTON The city of Fredericton is spending $20,000 to help the homeless in their city. The Phoenix Learning Centre is where many who are homeless in Fredericton spend their days. At night, they head to the Out of the Cold Shelter for a place to sleep. However, there is a gap between Phoenix closing and the night shelter opening. The $20,000 is going to allow an extension of the hours so I can put a staff member in place, said Scott Earle of the Phoenix Learning Centre. We re going to be able to maintain now until 8:30 in the evening where the shelters open at 9 so we re reducing that gap.
Posted: Dec 24, 2020 9:00 AM AT | Last Updated: December 24, 2020
Belongings of a homeless man who sleeps in a doorway on Queen Street in Fredericton. (Joe McDonald) comments
The number of seniors in the Fredericton area who are homeless has been growing over the past few months.
Advocates say it s a disturbing trend, with seniors either sleeping rough or using local shelters. We ve seen the ebbs and flows, but we ve never seen it this consistently high throughout, which is a challenge, said Warren Maddox, executive director of the Fredericton Homeless Shelters Inc.
Nearly half the beds at St. John House are occupied by men who are more than 60 years old, said Maddox.
MONCTON, N.B. Moncton took another step to deal with homelessness on Monday. Millions are being earmarked to fund a 125-unit housing project to help people get off the streets. The city is putting up $6 million, with the province matching that amount. It is a joint project with Rising Tide Community Initiatives Inc. The project was slowed down by the pandemic, but will roll out over the next three years. The plan includes the purchase of about 20 properties in the city to make up the 125 units, although these properties haven t been identified. New Brunswick Social Development Minister Bruce Fitch is hoping that the federal rapid housing initiative fund in the New Year will also contribute to the project.