Pandemic brings Moncton affordable housing plan to 'screeching halt'

An ambitious plan to turn derelict homes in Moncton into affordable housing for homeless people has ground to a halt.

Rising Tide Community Initiative sought $3 million from the City of Moncton, which was ready to support the project if the province provided matching funds in mid-March.

Dale Hicks, one of the founders of the group, said efforts to secure the funding to house more than 20 people this year came to a "screeching halt" in mid-March as the first cases of COVID-19 were reported in New Brunswick. 

"There's been no discussion with anybody since COVID-19 hit, it's basically gone off the radar screen," Hicks said in an interview.

But he said the need remains, and complaints about people sleeping in downtown business doorways and tent sites have already started.

Advocates have called for boosting affordable housing in the region to help ease homelessness issues. The city adopted a plan calling for the creation of a "housing entity" that would be responsible for increasing affordable housing. The result of that was the founding of Rising Tide. 

It planned to hire an executive director this month and house up to 25 people by the end of the year. Its goal was to house 125 people within three years and offer support services to those housed. 

"We wanted to get underway this year and get going, but it looks like that's not going to probably happen now," Hicks said.

City councillors offered tentative support in February and the topic was set to return to city council for a vote in mid-March after the release of the provincial budget.

No funding was specifically announced, and the province hasn't indicated if it supports the project.

The topic has yet to return to city council as its meeting agendas have been slimmed down to topics considered essential or time sensitive. 

Catherine Dallaire, the city's general manager of recreation, culture and events, said the goal is to bring the topic back to council sometime in the future. 

She said the timing depends on how quickly the province begins easing restrictions meant to limit the spread of the pandemic because she said they'd ideally like to present the information in-person. 

However, another factor that could affect support for Rising Tide is the state of municipal and provincial finances because of the pandemic. 

Moncton staff last month projected deficits between $1.7 to $3.5 million this year, depending on when restrictions are eased. Because the city can't legally run a deficit, that means cutting spending. So far no options have been presented to council. 

"We're going to have to examine any and all recommendations in light of our own financial situation and I'm sure other parties will be doing the same," Dallaire said. 

Both Hicks and Dallaire said the need to address affordable housing and homelessness hasn't gone away. 

"I think we are going to have to come forward with some recommendations that, whether in the short, medium, or long term, will begin to address affordable housing," Dallaire said.

Surplus gone

Premier Blaine Higgs has said the province's projected $92 million surplus this fiscal year is already gone. It's not clear how that will affect Rising Tide's funding request. 

A request to interview Social Development Minister Dorothy Shephard sent Wednesday went unanswered by Thursday afternoon.

"Given what's been going on and all the money that's been put toward COVID-19, I'm not really confident there's any money left over for this initiative but we'll see," Hicks said.

He said he's planning to meet with others involved in Rising Tide this week to discuss their next steps.