A community policing unit in downtown Moncton is expected to increase police presence and visibility in an area of concern.
It’s expected to begin operations in June and house the members of the community policing unit, bylaw officers, and at times members of RCMP stationed in the area, Codiac Regional RCMP Supt. Ron DeSilva told Moncton City Council Monday.
RCMP has already signed a lease for the ground floor of the property located at 795 Main Street next to Oak Lane.
DeSilva said it will be dedicated to serving vulnerable individuals, including the homeless, seniors and newcomers.
Relocating the community policing unit will complete another action detailed in the Joint Action Report on Homelessness and Downtown Security released in November. It features 27 actions designed to lay a foundation for continued advancement towards zero functional homelessness in Greater Moncton.
John Wishart, task force co-chair and the CEO for the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Moncton, updated council Monday on the status of the actions that feature goals to establish a Mental Health Court, hire an Action Plan Managing Director and launch a pilot treatment program for crystal methamphetamine.
“I want to start off by acknowledging we know, the stakeholders on the task force, that patience is thin, and frustration is rising, especially among downtown residents and business owners who continue to face some of the byproducts which maybe be associated with homelessness and some which may not be,” Wishart remarked.
Progress has been noted for many of the actions, though some are more advanced than others. Wishart said a plan is in the works to eliminate misused shopping carts by creating a storage facility for the homeless to leave their belongings.
“If there’s one thing that says homelessness, it’s seeing a number of individuals pushing overloaded shopping carts around downtown,” said Wishart.
It’s believed that after a location has been identified and prepared, RCMP could have all shopping carts off the street and returned to their rightful owners within 14 days.
In his address, Wishart notified council that in preparation for the closure of a temporary warming shelter on Assomption Boulevard, additional spaces will be made available at local shelters.
Altogether 55 beds will open up at Harvest House, a former Lions Club facility and the House of Nazareth, which also plans to open a portion of its building as a day warming shelter.
Shelters are not meant to serve as a permanent fix, as the goal remains to find housing for these individuals, Wishart said.
Deputy Mayor Charles Leger voiced his frustration over inaction in some areas, with concerns more talk without action could leave Moncton in the same position for years to come.
Especially as summer approaches, he hopes to see plans such as the storage facility come to fruition.
“They’ll actually be able to be humanized again. Maybe we can give them a place where they can actually sit around, and we’re not prejudging. That’s all I’m asking,” Leger said.
Wishart told council there are no quick or easy fixes to solve homelessness and downtown security. He emphasized achieving goals set out in the action plan will require participation from all stakeholders.