Latest news with #HumanDevelopmentCouncil
CTV News
6 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Homelessness up more than 200 per cent in major N.B. cities: report
A new report from the Human Development Council shows a 210 per cent increase in homelessness across New Brunswick's three major cities since 2021. There are 1,529 people experiencing homelessness across Moncton, Fredericton and Saint John, said a news release. This is up from 493 in March 2021. The report showed: rent rose 34.7 per cent and residential property prices rose 84 per cent between 2019 and 2024 food bank visits rose 45 per cent between 2019 and 2024 in 2024, 45 per cent of employees earned less than the living wage of $24.62 an hour in 2023, New Brunswick has a 16.7 per cent low-income rate, the highest in Canada unmet healthcare needs almost doubled since 2019 housing shortages persist 'Homelessness has been persistent in New Brunswick for a long time due to systemic issues such as the financialization of the housing market, inadequate tenant protection and failures within social support systems,' said data analyst and research coordinator Liam Fisher. 'However, the last five years have presented unprecedented challenges in housing affordability and health, pushing vulnerable individuals and families over the edge.' Purpose of report Fisher says the idea behind the report was to help find what has led to the significant increase in homelessness in recent years. Limited affordable hosing options and the cost of basic goods rising are also to blame for the high numbers. 'When all of these things start affecting New Brunswickers all at the same time, the result is a perfect storm of social challenges,' Fisher says. Kat and Liam Kat LeBlanc, left, and Liam Fisher from the Human Development Council hold a report on homelessness in New Brunswick. (Avery MacRae/CTV News Atlantic) Kat LeBlanc, lead administer for the Human Development Council (HDC), says the HDC and other organizations and non-profits in the three major cities are working to help the homeless population get off the streets. She notes there is no 'one size fits all' approach when it comes to homelessness, which admittedly is part of the battle when addressing the issue. 'It is very necessary to celebrate the small wins, like attending medical appointments with a client because they're very nervous to go by themselves' LeBlanc says. 'All of those little kind of things that add up so trying to instead of focusing on the glaring 210 per cent [increase].' In order to improve the homelessness situation, LeBlanc says expanded services are necessary as the capacity isn't there to help the people living on the streets. For that to happen, there would likely need to be an increase in spending by the province. 'Little disheartening' Ivan McCullough is a co-founder of Street Team SJ, a volunteer group that helps provide essentials for homeless residents in Saint John. He admits the report findings are a 'little disheartening' and proves there are serious systemic breakdowns in the system. 'A lot of people just sometimes just want to give up,' he says. 'They have no place to turn, the system is overwhelmed, the social safety net that we're supposed to have is not compensating simply because it can't.' McCullough asks the public to be respectful of people experiencing homelessness, noting that some people living on the streets had a home just a month ago. 'If your primary concern is how do I stay alive today, how do I eat today, you are not really concerned with what does around my area look like,' McCullough says. 'Gradually that kind of living eats away at the mental health, that mental health leads to trying to escape from that psychological pain and the cycle starts over again.' McCullough admits he doesn't have the answer to how to fix the issues, but says the only way progress can be made is by treating people with respect and dignity. Next week Saint John will open its first designated 'green zone' for 12 Neighbors' first Neighbourly Homes community in the city. Each site will have 27 individual sleeping units, as well as shared bathrooms, showers, laundry and kitchen spaces. The living units contain a small desk, a single bed, an electronic tablet, and a locking door to allow residents to feel safe. The sites will also have 24/7 on-site staffing and wrap-around support services. 'We're happy for those folks that are getting out there,' says McCullough. 'Getting that little bit of stability that they need. It might take them three months, some people it might take them eight months, but as long as they can maintain that foothold, that little bit of stability and security, then everything else can start falling into place.' The tenants will move into their new homes on Aug. 1. Saint John encampment An encampment in Saint John, N.B., is pictured. (Avery MacRae/CTV News Atlantic) For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTV News
15-07-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Vulnerable populations and high NB Power bills focus of new committee
A new committee focused on vulnerable populations and high NB Power rates are now meeting, about a year after the idea was first pitched. The utility's Vulnerable Populations Committee includes representatives from NB Power, community groups and the provincial government. The committee's creation was a condition of the New Brunswick Energy and Utilities Board granting NB Power's rate request increase of almost 20 per cent over two-years. NB Power president and CEO Lori Clark said the utility mentioned its support for a vulnerable populations group when presenting to the EUB last summer. 'So that we can understand their needs much better than we do today, and provide relief where we can and access to the programs that are available,' said Clark, in an interview. 'And if there are no programs available, see what we can do to develop the right programs.' The committee held its first meeting on May 28, with a second meeting on June 24. The provincial departments of energy and social development are included on the committee. The community groups represented are Feed NB, the NB Coalition of Persons with Disabilities, the Fredericton Food Bank and the Human Development Council. Randy Hatfield, executive director of the Human Development Council, hoped future meetings would include individuals with first-hand experience related to poverty. 'We're going by what we're told anecdotally and what the data may tell us,' said Hatfield. 'But the lived-experience, those stories, are very rich.' Hatfield also hoped the committee would look closely at NB Power's disconnection policy for unpaid bills, while pushing for 'meaningful' programs to help those struggling to pay bills (citing the example of Ontario's energy rebate program). 'There has to be a political will,' said Hatfield. 'The utility at this point claims it doesn't have the jurisdiction to entertain low-income energy rebates. I'm not sure that's the case.' Clark said NB Power took action earlier this year to help ratepayers hit with high bills, by introducing new installment and equalized payments programs for individuals who wouldn't have previously qualified. 'I'm not saying there isn't more work to do,' said Clark. The committee does not have executive or decision-making authority. 'It will be given priority,' said Clark. 'So, while they don't have direct decision-making capability, they are reporting to the highest level in the organization.' The committee is expected to meet again this fall, when its terms of reference will be finalized. For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
Time of India
14-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Meghalaya CM calls for ‘alignment' of different depts for sustainable devpt
Shillong: CM Conrad K Sangma has emphasised that different departments should align and work together with a broader vision and purpose for sustainable and inclusive human development. The CM was speaking at an event, organised by the Human Development Council (HDC), to empower districts to define and pursue localised targets aimed at improving key nutrition indicators — such as promoting exclusive breastfeeding, reducing anaemia and making local food solutions more accessible through community-based programs. "We must focus on our goals, but more importantly, on the purpose behind those goals," the CM said. Reiterating his govt's commitment to inclusive growth, he said, "It's not just about 10 billion or 10 opportunities — it's about converting these numbers into equity, into tangible social good. That is the real purpose of governance." Calling for a shift in mindset and approach, he said, "We know the challenges. What we now need is clearly defined action — who will do what, how it will be done, and by when. Let us stop working in silos and start working with a shared vision and accountability". Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
A sister's search: What it's like to have a loved one on the street, battling addiction
Dyllan Taylor Humphrey spent most of a recent Saturday walking the streets of Moncton in search of her homeless younger brother. Eventually, she found him in the parking lot of a convenience store, digging through a garbage bag. "It's a strange thing to love somebody with an addiction, but it's a crazier thing to walk a moment — not in their shoes — but in their environment," she said. Her brother, whom the CBC has agreed not to name, has struggled with drug addiction for 12 years and been homeless since last fall. Taylor Humphrey lives in Belleisle, about 150 kilometres southwest of Moncton. When she heard from people who've been keeping an eye on her brother that he wasn't doing well, she drove to the city to make sure he was alive. "I felt scared and just disbelief that this is how he's living," said Taylor Humphrey, who hadn't seen her brother for four months. "And tremendous guilt." WATCH | 'It's eye-opening and mind-blowing': The number of people without a place to live has risen steadily for several years across New Brunswick. In Moncton, Saint John and Fredericton, about 1,543 people were homeless for at least a day in March, according to the latest count by the Saint John-based Human Development Counci. In the area that Taylor Humphrey searched in Moncton, it's not uncommon to see small groups of people huddling on vacant lots in oversize jackets and blankets, or people pulling shopping carts full of their belongings, looking through garbage. "I had no idea that the homeless community was this large, and I saw ages from 20 to 60s," she said. "It was mind-blowing seeing people at their most vulnerable state just out on the street." According to the Human Development Council's latest data, 768 people were homeless for at least a day in March in Moncton compared with 724 in December 2024. (Pierre Fournier/CBC) Taylor Humphrey and her two brothers were raised in a rural community, and their parents split up when they were young. She described her childhood as "a little chaotic," but she has fond memories of her youngest brother, who she said was an honours student and athlete growing up. She was not prepared for how she found him in Moncton. "It almost looked like a piece of him was missing," Taylor Humphrey said. "I don't think I've ever really seen him in survival mode like that." It was a relief to give her thin, exhausted brother a hug. Taylor Humphrey also gave him Gatorade, food, and a bag of warm clothes, including new shoes because he didn't have a pair that fit. For her, one of the hardest parts of having a loved one who's an addict and homeless is reconciling the life they are living with the person they used to be. "We know them as a different person," she said. "I saw my brother as a little boy. I saw my brother cry at Brother Bear, the movie. I saw my brother sneak into my room when we were kids because he was scared to sleep in his room." Dyllan Taylor Humpfrey and her two younger brothers, pictured here, grew up in a small, rural community in New Brunswick. (Submitted by Dyllan Taylor Humphrey) But when her brother started using drugs at 15, and she told her mother, the family dynamic changed. "I always felt it was my job to protect him," Taylor Humphrey said. "I was supposed to be a secret keeper. So when I had to tell my mom, it really put a toll on our relationship." Her brother's drug use was like a cycle, shifting between good days and bad, she said. "I found a way to have a relationship with him with boundaries because, unfortunately, with addiction that's what you have to do." Today, Taylor Humphrey said, she is triggered by things in daily life that make her think of her brother, and she carries guilt about her own circumstances — including having a place to call home. "When I lay down in my room at night, and I'm safe and I have a roof over my head and I think, 'Where is he tonight? Is he somewhere safe? Is he warm?'" People who've never been in the situation she faces can be quick to judge and accuse family members of not doing enough, she said. Why not take the person who is struggling off the street and into their own homes, some wonder. Taylor Humphrey finds the issue more complex. "I have two young kids and I unfortunately can't do that," she said. "I don't want my children to know him like that. I want my children to know him for the vibrant human being he is." A need for resources, compassion After Taylor Humphrey found her brother looking through garbage that Saturday, he ate and slept in her car for a few hours before she dropped him off at Ensemble Moncton, a harm reduction organization that provides a safe injection site and connects drug users with resources. Thirteen overdoses were called into 911 the day Taylor Humphrey was in Moncton. Keith Guptill, the deputy chief of operations, says those calls have become the norm. "This is not new to Moncton," he said. "Back in the day, you heard of an overdose here and there. It's unconscionable that it's eight to 10 a day." Keith Guptill, the deputy chief of operations with the Moncton Fire Department, says his crew responds to an average of eight to 10 overdose calls a day in Moncton. (Katelin Belliveau/CBC) And some overdoses are now even more dangerous because of a combination of street drugs. First responders often use naloxone — commonly referred to by the brand named Narcan — in emergencies. Guptill believes a batch of tainted drugs circulating in Moncton, which could be fentanyl laced with other drugs such as a benzodiazepine, makes it more difficult to reverse overdoses. "Narcan doesn't have the same effect on that kind of drug because it doesn't impact benzodiazepine," he said. "So the complicated part is not knowing what drugs they've got on board." An opioid-related overdose impacts the part of the brain that tells the body to breathe, according to the New Brunswick Department of Health. And the risk of overdose increases when opioids are mixed with other street drugs. Scott Phipps, the Ensemble executive director, said his staff are noticing younger people walking through their doors. "The reality is they don't want to die," Phipps said. "They're coming here because they know that somebody's watching over them. And if anything happens, they'll be there to make sure that they don't die." Scott Phipps, executive drector of Ensemble, says staff are seeing an increase in seniors, families and people with full-time jobs looking for support finding shelter. (Katelin Belliveau/CBC) Ensemble has a registered nurse on site for minor ailments, and staff try to help people find housing and connect with their families. "We do see family members that will bring their loved ones here just for that knowledge that they are being helped," Phipps said. Taylor Humphrey has seen her brother try to get his life back on track. Last fall, she said, he was on a waitlist for the intensive day treatment program offered by Horizon Health Network, which tries to help people in the Moncton area reduce or manage addiction. He was told he would have to wait six weeks to three months to get in. As he waited, he relapsed and ended up back on the street. "Addicts don't have time to wait … because tomorrow is not guaranteed," Taylor Humphrey said. CBC News tried to find out from Horizon what current wait times are for the program but did not get a response. After that Saturday, Taylor Humphrey saw her brother again four days later. The clothes and the backpack she gave him had already been stolen. Seeing how he lived now, and the shelter where he has slept in the past, underscored the need for compassion and additional resources. "Everyone is trying to survive here," she said. "You can't even close your eyes without having the shoes stolen off your feet." Taylor Humphrey doesn't want to believe this is the way her brother's story ends, and she tells him he deserves a good life. "We just have to set him up again and hope that his day comes soon where he decides to make a change."
CBC
21-02-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Federal, provincial governments announce $3.5M to address homelessness in Saint John
Federal and provincial governments announced $3.5-million funding to Saint John in a new agreement to tackle homelessness. The funding is a part of what's called the Unsheltered Homelessness and Encampments Initiative — an agreement between the governments of New Brunswick and Canada. The agreement will make the funding available to the city over a span of two years. "This will allow us to take immediate and meaningful action to support those who most need it. And action can't come soon enough," Mayor Donna Reardon said. The city will use the funding to create a Community Encampment Response plan. The plan will "support people without homes" through short-term rental assistance, temporary accommodation, transitional housing and will help co-ordinate access to specialized services, such as medical care and other supports, according to a news release. "There'll be short-term rental assistance to help people find a home quickly, temporary accommodation and transitional housing to provide stability," Reardon said. Goal is better housing, not better poverty Speaking with reporters following the announcement, Reardon said the funding is a vital investment in the city's Housing for All strategy, which was announced last summer. The strategy includes plans for encampment "green zones," where people will be allowed to set up temporary camps and will be provided with some services, such as washrooms and garbage cans. These zones were originally slated to be revealed by the end of 2024, but by December the city had no updates on the location or timeline for implementation. Reardon said green zones are "transitional spaces," such as the Somerset ACRES project, launched in December. "We don't want to just take the tents and move them from A to B and call it a green zone over here. For us, a green zone is a transitional space," Reardon said. "So we'd have to have better housing, better services, something better than a tent. We just don't want better poverty. We want to actually move people into a better situation." In Saint John in January, 272 people were experiencing chronic homelessness, according to the Human Development Council, a non-profit that works on social issues. That's up by 30 from the previous month's numbers. "As we know, homelessness has really increased dramatically in the last few years," Greg Bishop, the group's senior director, said "So seeing three levels of government coming together and interested in working at the community level and supporting the community to better respond to unsheltered populations is a great thing." Melanie Vautour, executive director of the non-profit Fresh Start Services, called the funding commitments a "transformative" step forward. She hopes the funding will materialize into individuals living independently.
