NL Housing is providing emergency shelter services in the capital city’s downtown with the help of End Homelessness St. John’s, Thrive, and the NL Health Services’ Harm Reduction Team.
The province is asking anyone who is currently without shelter to contact their emergency line at 1-833-724-2444 for assistance with temporary accommodations with the heavy snowfall in today’s forecast.
Staff will be on site at the tent encampment and are working to help people go to a shelter where they will have access to supports and services.
The Safe Haven Shelter at 10 St. Clare Avenue also serves as a warming centre in poor weather and The Gathering Place is also available.
Opposition Reaction
The province’s opposition parties are taking government to task over what they see as a lack of a plan for people living in tents at Colonial Building as the season’s first significant snowfall moves in.
While the forecast remains uncertain, upwards of 20 cm is possible for some areas in the eastern half of the province.
Both PC leader Tony Wakeham and NDP leader Jim Dinn are questioning what they see as a lack of a plan from government.
Wakeham says he hopes government has a contingency plan in place, but he hasn’t heard of one, and that in of itself is an issue. Dinn states that “it’s almost as of the provincial government didn’t know winter was coming.” He says he’s been hearing that there might be a plan in place, but has not been able to confirm that.
