Homeless shelter shuffle worries advocate

An advocate for the homeless fears the closure of a shelter in Halifax will leave some people in the cold this winter, even though two others are adding beds.

The Saint Leonard's Society of Nova Scotia isn't reopening Pendleton Place this winter. Instead, the beds will be redistributed to Metro Turning Point, a shelter for men, and Barry House, a shelter for women.

Those two shelters will be open 24 hours, which means clients won't be asked to leave during the day.

Homeless advocate Wayne McNaughton supports the move to expand services, but questions the decision to close a unique shelter like Pendleton Place.

"Pendleton Place did have a higher tolerance for people with a variety of behaviours and for people who were actively using drugs or alcohol, as long as they weren't being violent at the time that they were presenting there," McNaughton said.

The shelter for men and women had operated from November to May since 2004. It was billed as the place that tried not to turn anyone away.

McNaughton said homeless men who might have been rejected from Metro Turning Point might not feel comfortable seeking shelter there this winter.

"I'm very fearful this winter for what's going to happen, I really am," he said.

Jerry Smyth, CEO of the Saint Leonard's Society, agrees that Pendleton Place took on more difficult clients, but he said no one will be turned away at the other two shelters.

Smyth said nothing has changed as a result of the moves, "except it's gotten better."

"We have more services to provide now so I don't see how that can be falling back or taking a step backward, or we wouldn't have done it," he said.

Barry House is also getting extra staff and will undergo renovations.

The funding is coming from the province.